Sir, - The press have reported the opening of new multi-million pound diagnostic facilities in the Mater Private Hospital, one of the best known private medical institutions in the country. The opening was performed by An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. We would all congratulate the Mater on these new developments for their patients. Nevertheless, I hardly need to remind you that these modern facilities are available only to those who can pay for them.
This week also saw, in somewhat smaller print, the news that the Longford/Westmeath General Hospital in Mullingar, one of the country's public hospitals, has a multi-million pound development closed and unused for lack of money to employ staff. This particular development includes a new radiology unit with CAT scan, a casualty department, an 11-bed day ward, a fully equipped endoscopy unit, medical records and a new outpatients department. In this time of supposed economic boom, I am quite sure that this discrepancy in the provision and availability of medical facilities to different sections of our society is not lost on the 100,000 population who live in the catchment area of this hospital.
Do you ever get the feeling that there is something going on that we don't know about? - Yours, etc.,
FRCPI, Consultant Physician, Longford/Westmeath General Hospital, Mullingar, Co Westmeath.