RECRUITMENT PROBLEMS COULD MEAN CLOSURE OF PORTIUNCULA EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Date Published: 07-Apr-2010

Severe difficulties in recruiting emergency doctors may result in Emergency Departments having to close or limit their opening hours. That's according to the Irish Association for Emergency Medicine. It says the problem is most acute in several western-based hospitals including Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe. Changes in visa-requirements for non-EU doctors as well as an increase in the numbers of Irish doctors going abroad to work is contributing to the problem.