Junior doctors have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action over long hours and deteriorating working conditions.
The decision is expected to cause yet more disruption to a health service already struggling with high Covid-19 admissions and a recent strike by medical scientists.
Over 97 per cent of non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) who voted in a ballot called by the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) supported industrial action, up to and including strike action.
The IMO says it will communicate the ballot result to the Department of Health and HSE and seek urgent negotiations to resolve the issues under dispute.
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“If the department and HSE are not prepared to seriously engage on resolving issues, the IMO will issue 21 days’ notice of industrial action.”
Dr John Cannon, chair of the IMO NCHD committee, said the result reflected the level of anger and frustration among NCHDs around the country.
“NCHDs are leaving Ireland in higher numbers than ever. That is a direct consequence of the manner in which the HSE and the department treat them.”
There are more than 7,500 NCHDs working in the health service providing frontline care, many of them training to become consultants or GPs.
Their working conditions are governed by the European Working Time Directive, which limits the working day and working weeks of employees.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) maintains there are high levels of compliance with the directive. However, the IMO says NCHDs continue to be required to work far in excess of legal and safe working hours, often in breach of the directive.
It says they are routinely required to work single shifts in excess of 24 hours and over 48 hours a week.
Doctors last took strike action on the issue in 2013.
