Health and unequal access to specialists

An inexcusable lack of access

A chara, – Increasingly, once it has been established that somebody needs further tests that are not available for me to book as a primary care physician, or has a health issue that requires specialist input, I find myself asking, “Do you have any health insurance?” The answer is frequently no.

Then comes the attempt to make a bit light of the absurd waiting list problem. “The list is as long as an arm and a leg”, and I modify the number of limbs depending on how long I know that particular list to be locally. I get the odd polite chuckle but everybody knows there is nothing funny about waiting over two years to get an exercise stress test to check if your breathlessness means you are close to a heart attack.

At least with the introduction of more doctor visit cards, some people will no longer have to pay to politely chuckle at my attempts to account for the inexcusable lack of access there is to parts of our healthcare system for the care that they need. – Yours, etc,

Dr MARIA MOY,

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Lough Eske,

Co Donegal.