DIANE BROWNE, MB,
Sir, - I agree with every word of Dr Donogh McKeogh's letter of August 31st. What he did not say was that there are hundreds of young specialists like him, the cream of Irish medical schools, trained at the taxpayer's expense, working in the US, Britain and elsewhere, while here we are treated by undertrained, overworked NCHDs who know that their future also is abroad.
The money spent on their overtime would easily pay the threefold increase in consultants needed to give us an efficient health system. The appointment of new consultants is in the hands of a group of seniors who fear they may lose their private fees. Those of us who can afford to pay through the nose, cannot get an appointment when we want one with the consultant we want . We may not speak directly with a consultant. We have to speak to a secretary of variable efficiency. If we cannot afford fees it's the NCHDs for us.
I have the greatest respect for these young doctors and what they deserve above all is decent training and a proper career structure. These young people must know that a consultant job in Ireland awaits them when they have finished their training.
Consider the time and money saved if, when attending A and E with a pain in the chest, one was seen by Dr McKeogh rather than by someone qualified for perhaps a year. - Yours, etc.,
DIANE BROWNE, MB, (retired), Weston Park, Lucan, Co Dublin.