Madam, - There appears to be considerable public concern about the Minister for Health's plans to encourage the development of new private medical facilities. It seems that some of the concern arises from philosophical rather than pragmatic issues. Excellent healthcare is achievable by a combination of motivated compassionate staff working in a modern efficient infrastructure.
The Minister's plans will deliver a net increment in modern infrastructure in an equitable and efficient manner. The inherent advantages in the plan are obvious:
Scarce public capital resources will be spent elsewhere; schools and school buses for example!
Public patients will attend these facilities to access discounted services commissioned by the Health Service Executive, which will have the ability to demand high quality.
Privately run hospitals will work with international operators which will import academic and management expertise. These hospitals will start with a clean slate and can initiate adaptive work practices which will facilitate a flexible approach to evolutions in healthcare needs
Most importantly, do we have an alternative but to try something different? We can't simply expand the current system. The money isn't available in the public purse, and even if it was, we all realise it's time to change. - Yours, etc,
Prof JOHN ARMSTRONG, Director of Research, St Luke's Hospital, Dublin.