Sir, – Dr Mait O Faolain (December 30th) is to be congratulated for defending a particularly vulnerable Minister for Health at this festive time. However he is incorrect in asserting that the artificial separation between the policy setting of the Department of Health and the policy implementation of the HSE introduced by a previous minister for health absolves Dr Reilly of his responsibilities in this matter.
The “probity” exercise comes from Government. The under-six medical card comes from Government. Therefore, Government and the relevant Minister are responsible.
His letter also implies that GPs somehow benefit from a delay in informing the HSE of a patient’s death. As any payments made in respect of a deceased person are subsequently recouped, backdated to the date of death, this is irrelevant. Unless I have personally attended someone on their death, it is not uncommon for a delay of a number of weeks or months before I learn of the death of a patient in hospital. The system is flexible enough to take into account this delay. His letter further implies that the HSE, as the body responsible for registering deaths, relies solely on GPs to inform it of the death of a patient. I am pleased to inform Dr O Faolain that this is not the case. – Yours, etc,
SÉAMUS McMENAMIN,
Family Doctor,
Baile Átha Luimnigh,
An Uaimh,
Co na Mhí