A total of 121 doctors have re-joined the Register of Medical Practitioners with the Medical Council in little over a week. This is in addition to doctors who are returning to practice or returning home to Ireland who remained on the Medical Council Register.
Last week the Medical Council launched a dedicated pathway for doctors to re-join the Medical Council Register of Medical Practitioners as part of the national COVID-19 response with all registration fees being waived.
The Medical Council has also launched a dedicated COVID-19 webpage (www.medicalcouncil.ie/covid-19) for doctors with useful information.
President of the Medical Council, Dr Rita Doyle, said “I am heartened to see the huge response we are seeing from colleagues who are coming out of retirement, returning to medical practice or returning home to Ireland in response to the national response to the challenges our country face with the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The Irish health system and its staff will come under unprecedented pressure during this time, and it is and will be a very challenging time for medical practitioners.”
“These doctors are stepping forward to answer Irelands call to help our country at our time of need and to support our colleagues already on the front lines in this battle.”
“There are many roles and positions available within our health service that doctors who return to the register can fulfil with the HSE. From working in our hospitals, to out of hours services or triaging remotely over the phone and many more.”
“The Medical Council is here to support doctors to get back onto the medical register for the purposes of responding to the pressures brought to our health service by COVID-19,” concluded Dr Doyle.
Medical CEO, Mr Bill Prasifka, said “The Medical Council’s team has been working around the clock to register doctors re-joining the Medical Register as part of the COVID-19 response.”
“In addition to doctors re-joining the register, in the coming weeks the Medical Council will begin to register over 1,000 new doctors for the first time to the Intern Division of the Register as final year medical students complete their exams and qualify.”
“We have also launched a dedicated COVID-19 webpage for doctors with useful information and guidance for doctors.”
“Any doctor who wishes to re-join the Medical Register is asked to visit www.medicalcouncil.ie/covid-19” concluded Mr Prasifka.
