Health crisis – years of political failure

Sir, – Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has called upon medical consultants to “just for the next few weeks, to come in at weekends” (News, January 5th). Consultants already work weekends, and they have done for years and years. Senior decision makers are available every day of the week. The formulation of a management plan for the patients we look after are followed by days of apologising for multiple system failures which result in delays and intense frustration for them. The Minister should address the failures within the system instead of questioning the commitment of the medical workforce. – Yours, etc,

Dr SIOBHAN QUIRKE,

Galway.

Sir, – I am angered to hear the Minister for Health calling on hospital consultants to work additional hours on weekends. It speaks to this Government’s ineptitude and lack of insight into the reality facing workers on the ground that they feel they can ask even longer hours of one of the groups of public workers that have given most beyond the call of duty over the past few years.

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Without the necessary access to imaging, diagnostics, support staff, physiotherapy, social work, other multidisciplinary staff, as well as onward non-acute hospital bed capacity, we will continue to face daily hurdles safely and efficiently treating and discharging patients.

This represents a slapdash effort to compensate for years of successive government failures to address the recruitment crisis in the HSE. There are still almost 900 vacant permanent consultant posts in this country as well as hundreds of unfilled non-consultant hospital doctor (NCHD) posts. Each and every person still working in this system continues to work daily to compensate for these hundreds of vacant posts, often filling roles meant for two people or more.

The Government must understand that consultants, NCHDs and other healthcare workers are people with lives, and families, who also get sick and get burnout, and that they cannot continue to carry to weight of the HSE as it continues to sink. This attitude that we are an infinite resource that can ever-expand to fit the widening gaps will only further deepen our recruitment crisis. – Yours, etc,

Dr WENDY PAINE,

Dublin 24.

Sir, – It is not viruses, consultants or the HSE that are responsible for the outrageous state of our public hospital system that has now been present for three decades. It is our politicians who are responsible for this calamity and is a manifestation of failure of political leadership over this time. Your readers might find the following evidence of interest to support my opinion.

The hospital with the worst problem in the recent crisis is Limerick University Hospital. Why? Fifteen years ago, a recommendation was made in a report for the HSE by Horwarth Consulting Ireland Limited and Teamwork Management Services to reconfigure services at University Hospital Limerick, St John’s Hospital Limerick and the hospitals in Ennis and Nenagh and that 676 beds would be needed at University Hospital Limerick. In a HIQA report on University Hospital Limerick in June 2022, the number of beds at the hospital in mid-2020 was 432, which is 244 short of that recommended in 2008, 14 years after the HSE and the Department of Health and thereby the politicians were aware of the need for 676 beds but have not ensured their delivery.

Why? In her book on Health, Medicine and Politics in Ireland 1900 to 1970, Ruth Barrington notes that health care is a hotly debated topic in general elections but it does not determine how people cast their vote. It is not truly an issue that seriously focuses politicians, except during crises, as they know that people do not cast their votes based on the state of the healthcare system. This is why leadership on healthcare in politics is so important. Sadly, we do not have a political leader such as Barack Obama, who put healthcare at the top of his political agenda in his first term in office and succeeded in getting health insurance for over 30 million Americans against huge opposition to his proposals. Because we have no political leader willing to put healthcare front and foremost on their agenda, our mainly sick and older members of society will continue to suffer the indignity of care in overcrowded, not fit for purpose A&E departments for years to come. – Yours, etc,

Dr JOHN BARTON,

Consultant Physician,

Cardiologist,

Galway.

A chara, – Again, our brilliant doctors and nurses are picking up the bill through their relentless hard work for the failings of Government and the HSE. We are privileged to have such selfless people caring for the nation. – Is mise,

ROSS GARVEY,

Dublin 4.

A chara, – Nothing is certain except death, taxes and a health service that fails to meet the needs of its clients, winter after winter. – Yours, etc,

DAVID LEAHY,

Listowel,

Co Kerry.

Sir, – Could someone please explain in simple terms to me and many others why, if the State finances recorded a €5 billion surplus last year, our health service is in the state that it is in? – Yours etc,

MYRA HIGGINS,

Mount Merrion,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – If anybody needs enlightenment as to why and how come the Irish health system continues in perpetual crisis, the answer is to be found in the fact that the Cabinet contains one current and three former ministers for health. All have clearly risen without trace and were promoted beyond their abilities. And our stupidity as voters can be defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. – Yours, etc,

TOMÁS FINN,

Cappataggle,

Ballinasloe,

Co Galway.