Impact of top-up controversy

Sir, – Deirdre McDonagh (December 6th) asks why the “top-up” audit was released to press when it was, in a way most damaging to charities in the run up to the most benevolent time of year, especially when the HSE has known of it for some time.

On November 5th, there was published an (open) letter, written by the chief executives of four of the largest hospitals in the State, to the HSE warning that the quality and safety of patient services in those hospitals was seriously threatened by HSE cuts. Then, on November 18th, the HSE releases a report into the personal finances of these (and other) CEOs. It seems that the HSE released this report to punish these CEOs for whistleblowing. – Yours, etc,

Dr PETER WHEEN,

St James Hospital,

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Dublin 8.