Warning on ethical risks in 'for profit' healthcare

There are no controls in place to stop people in authority using their position to promote privatisation in the health service, and "lots of loot" can be made as a result, Labour's health spokeswoman has claimed.

Liz McManus told the Dáil that "there can easily be conflict of interest, particularly when large amounts of money are made out of the healthcare system".

She cited an example of a GP who advised HSE chief executive Brendan Drumm. "This man was engaged with a company called Touchstone, a private company developing general practice clinics. He advised Prof Drumm and was a driving force in the promotion of approximately 500 primary care teams and centres. He left that important post and went straight onto the board of directors of Touchstone. In another country, this would not be permitted."

Speaking during the opening debate on the Medical Practitioners Bill, which aims to license and regulate doctors and deter malpractice, Ms McManus criticised Minister for Health Mary Harney's "love" of the "private model".

" is the way by which she operates. It has infused the health service in a way we must examine cautiously and carefully." The Labour TD said that "for profit" was a new phenomenon recently introduced. "We must be careful and consider how we can secure protections against conflicts of interest arising."

People were "sniffing around the health service because the Minister opened the door to them to make money from health provision in a way new to us. We do not have the protections, safeguards, guidelines or rigorous protocols to ensure people do not use their positions to promote privatisation or private business because lots of loot can accrue as a result of such a change." These matters had to be examined "in the context of the ethical behaviour of medical professionals and others".

Ms McManus also questioned why the Minister "is choosing to give herself and future Minister for Health such extraordinary powers over the Medical Council. It seems she is confusing ministerial authority with democratic accountability but the two are not necessarily the same. Her proposals are an invitation for ministerial meddling."

Joe Sherlock (Lab, Cork East) supported this view and criticised the power the Minister would have to nominate the majority of members to the Medical Council. The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) had suggested that the Bill "should be amended to state the Minister will have no role in the operational management of the council, which must be accountable to the Oireachtas and free from political interference."