A chara, - Despite Mary Harney's best efforts, our health services remain among the worst in the developed world. During her time in office, Ms Harney, in managing to alienate the majority of health professionals, including doctors and nurses, has made a substantial contribution to the low morale that is now so widespread among them.
With her blinkered determination to rush ahead with her plan to co-locate private hospitals on public hospital grounds, Ms Harney has shown scant regard for the opinions of the substantial section of the Irish medical profession opposed to the further privatisation of our hospital services. An article by Greg Baxter in the Irish Medical Times of May 4th reveals that Dr Gro Harlem Bruntland, former Norwegian prime minister and former secretary general of the World Health Organisation, had made some very interesting comments in her keynote address to the National Health Consultative Forum in October last in Kilkenny (from which both the media and the public were excluded). She warned that a reduction in public sector responsibility in favour of the development of a two-tier system which would accommodate further privatisation would lead to a situation where vulnerable people would be "left to fend for themselves". She also emphasised that adequate public funds must be provided, stating that "a system that gives real and equal opportunities for all will never be the least expensive".
If Ms Harney's plan for co-location goes ahead, we are ultimately faced with a version of the notorious American health system, where there is almost complete segregation between those who can afford to pay for healthcare and those who cannot. In our present state of affluence, there is no justification for any further increase in State-subsidised hospital privatisation.
We should instead be emulating the Continental model, where all citizens have equal access to healthcare irrespective of their means. - Is mise,
Dr SINÉAD Ó NUALLÁIN, Bearna, Gaillimh.