No shortage of doctors

There is no evidence that there will be a major shortage of junior doctors, according to the Minister of State for Health, Ms Mary Hanafin. However, if some posts remain unfilled, "hospitals will be asked to ensure that essential and critical services are not affected". The Minister was responding to Mr John McGuinness (Fianna Fail, Carlow-Kilkenny), who expressed concern about the curtailment of anaesthetic services for elective surgery and epidurals because of the lack of personnel in this area caused by the introduction of a new assessment examination by the Medical Council.