Health service – a long way to go

Sir, – Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is first on the podium to claim any improvement in the health service (Paul Cullen, “Stephen Donnelly: ‘Things are getting better, but we have a long way to go’”, Interview, News, January 5th).

Let me outline my own experience. I must attend St James’s Hospital in Dublin in June for relatively minor procedure (I’ve waited a year), and contained in the letter of confirmation is the instruction to attend my GP prior to presenting myself at the hospital, so that I may have bloods taken, with specific reference to certain levels of something. These results to be then faxed to the hospital, and a copy to accompany me on my attendance. Failure to do so may result in cancellation, etc.

When did this start? I now must pay for a doctor, blood tests, and prevail upon somebody else to do something that up to my last visit, the hospital did as part of my care. That is not progress. – Yours, etc,

PAT QUINN,