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Non-consultant hospital doctor (NCHD), sometimes also referred to as junior doctor,[1][2] is a term used in Ireland to describe qualified medical practitioners who work under the (direct or nominal) supervision of a consultant in a particular speciality. It is an umbrella term, encompassing doctors on formal postgraduate training schemes as well as doctors in "service" roles outside of postgraduate training.
The clinical duties and responsibilities of NCHDs are varied but centre around the provision of medical care to patients.[3] Examples of work carried out by NCHDs includes the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions, performing therapeutic and diagnostic tests and interaction with other healthcare professionals. A clinical team made up of a consultant, or group of consultants, along with a cohort of NCHDs, is the core of medical service delivery in the Irish hospital system.[4] A NCHD may be in a training programme or in a non-training role. Non-training doctors are employed most commonly at SHO or registrar level, and hold either 6 or 12 months contracts, a small number hold permanent posts. The doctors employed in non-training posts are not eligible for the trainee specialist division, and are most commonly registered on the general or supervised divisions of the Irish Medical Council register.[4]