Sir, - Permit me to respond to some of the points raised by Dr Shane Corr (September 28th), concerning the Progressive Democrats' proposal to eliminate public hospital waiting lists.
First, I would refute Dr Corr's suggestion that reducing waiting lists will reduce demand for private health insurance. People take out private insurance for many reasons and will continue to do so after we solve the waiting list problem.
Even if that were not the case, however, is it suggested that tens of thousands of public patients must be kept waiting months or even years as some kind of perverse incentive for the private insurance sector? Surely that would be immoral.
The same logic would have us avoid any actions at all that would improve the public health service, lest they reduce the incentive to buy private insurance.
Second, the Progressive Democrats accept Dr Corr's assertion that more investment is needed in primary healthcare. I believe that that will be a central part of the government's forthcoming health strategy. GPs, nurses and non-consultant doctors will have key roles in the reform of the health services and in providing treatment for waiting list patients, be it in the public or private sectors. The Treatment Guarantee Fund that would be used to purchase medical treatments would act as an incentive to the entire medical teams and hospitals delivering the treatments.
Thirdly, Dr Corr can be reassured the comprehensive audit of the health system for which the Progressive Democrats campaigned has been completed. It now forms an essential analysis underpinning the Government's health strategy.
I welcome all contributions to this long-overdue debate on the subject of waiting lists. The response to our proposal has been generally positive and encouraging. But I would ask one question of those who would reject our proposal out of hand: How do you propose to offer speedy treatment to all those on public waiting lists? - Yours, etc.,
Robert Molloy, T.D. Minister of State, Dβil ╔ireann, Kildare Street, Dublin2.