Question: Has establishing the Health Service Executive (HSE) improved services for your patients?
Dr John Keane, GP, Westport, Co Mayo.
"I can't see that it has. On an individual basis, the managers try to be helpful. But the overall structure is not designed to make improvements.
"Some services in our area have improved, but whether this is due to the HSE or not, I don't know".
Dr Madeline McCarthy, GP, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin.
"In limited areas, yes the HSE has been helpful. Initiatives such as free counselling for my GMS (medical card) patients has worked well.
"I would be looking for more initiatives [ from the HSE] for the whole patient population, which would help the vulnerable group who are at the interface between public and private care and who may not be able to afford medical advice because of the cost implications."
Dr Illona Duffy, GP, Monaghan town
"Absolutely not. Prior to the setting up of the HSE there was a huge expectation of improvements both in services and management. None of this has happened.
"Things are worse for our patients than ever before. In the northeast area, we are seeing acute services lurch from one crisis to another and patient health is being compromised.
"For the HSE to make a difference in the future, there has to be real interaction with front-line professionals.
"Take the present review of acute services in the northeast, for example. The review group have only met management and have yet to meet with healthcare workers."
Dr Mel Bates, GP, Fairview, Dublin
"Not yet. The accident and emergency situation has got worse. Waiting times for patients haven't changed.
"There has been a lot more anti-doctor rhetoric which I don't think is justified. Any improvements I have seen predate the HSE.However, the immunisation process works better and the transfer of payments from the GMS has improved considerably.
"In the future, I would like to see an acknowledgement of the workload involved in the shared care of people with diabetes by GPs."
Dr Declan Larkin,GP, Knocknacarra, Galway city.
"No. I would feel that, if anything, things have gone backwards rather than forwards since the HSE was set up. There has been no benefit so far."