One third of NCHDs unlikely to recommend Irish hospital system as a place to work

One-in-three NCHDs are unlikely to recommend Ireland to a friend seeking employment as a junior doctor, a new survey has found.

The poll of more than 2,600 non-consultant hospital doctors also found that one-in-four expressed a preference for working less than full-time in the future.

More than half of respondents said they regularly or always felt excited about their work, but 14 per cent said they rarely or never felt this way.

Four-in-ten would be likely to recommend their current workplace to a friend seeking employment, but almost three-in-ten are unlikely to do so.

The survey, conducted by HSE National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP), showed that 36 per cent would recommend Ireland as a place for NCHDs to work, but 33 per cent would not be likely to do so.

In a message to colleagues, NCHD national lead Dr Lenin Patrik Ekpotu, NDTP medical director Prof Anthony O’Regan and NDTP national clinical lead Prof John Cooke said the survey’s findings will be ‘actively used to drive changes and improvements’.

“We have already developed a comprehensive action plan at NDTP for 2025 that takes these findings into account,” they said.

“Furthermore, we have provided each region with a copy of its own specific data. This year, we will ask each region to submit a report on the measures they have taken to address the survey feedback.”

The poll, carried out last summer, comes off the back of a NCHD Taskforce report, published in February 2024, which contained 44 recommendations to improve the workplace experience of junior doctors.

However, two-in-three respondents were not aware of the NCHD Taskforce standards. Four-in-ten were dissatisfied with access to food, rest, showering and changing facilities at their workplaces – all areas outlined for improvement in the report. Three-in-ten were not satisfied by the hydration facilities provided to them.

Almost three-quarters said that their site had an adequate schedule of postgraduate teaching opportunities, while more than half said their workplace provides protected time for attendance at teaching sessions.

However, one-in-five said that their work and training were not preparing them well for their future specialist roles. Around half were satisfied with their educational infrastructure, but one-third were unhappy with the simulation spaces provided for training.

Just seven per cent of respondents said that they are currently working less than full-time, but around 25 per cent said they would like to work reduced hours in their future permanent post.

Dr Ekpotu, Prof O’Regan and Prof Cooke said that less-than-full-time working is a ‘significant issue’ that has been ‘flagged at the national level’.

“We will continue to monitor progress on this, and we will conduct a follow-up survey on a biannual basis to track changes from the NCHD perspective,” they said. “Please know that we are determined to address these concerns over the coming months and years.”

Four-in-five NCHDs said they intend to continue working in Ireland or will return here after a period abroad. The vast majority (90 per cent) want their future permanent post to be in Ireland.

More than half (55 per cent) were aware of an active NCHD committee at their hospital, but less than half did not know who their lead NCHD was.

Among non-training NCHDs, nine-in-ten were aware of the free continuous professional development support scheme, with 8 in 10 actively using it. Just 37 per cent, however, knew about the HSE’s National Employment Record E-Portfolio, which allows them to record their training and career development.