Hospitals and appointments

We need clarity

Sir, – Paul Cullen reports that almost 25,000 hospital appointments and procedures were cancelled in April, an increase of 69 per cent on the April 2022 figure (News, May 16th).

The HSE says hospitals may have to cancel scheduled care appointments “due to factors outside their control”. These can include increased admissions to emergency departments, unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather, infection outbreaks, industrial action and sick leave.

This is all guff, even if the list doesn’t include leaves on the track and canine ingestion of homework.

Would the Minister please direct HSE senior management to tell us where and why there were 25,000 cancellations in April? We do, after all, pay his and their salaries. – Yours, etc,

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PAT O’BRIEN,

Rathmines,

Dublin 6.