Madam, - For nine years the public health doctors have been looking for a structured, out-of-hours service to protect the health of the Irish people. It is irresponsible for the Minister for Health to continue to pretend that the current system is safe. The strike date was set last year before the world had heard of SARS, but the unco-ordinated response to the threat of SARS has merely confirmed the existing deficiencies.
This is of grave concern to all, but especially to healthcare workers, including doctors, who will be most at risk if SARS reaches this country. It is extraordinary that a non-militant group of professionals has had to use strike action to promote necessary improvements in healthcare in Ireland.
There is a very real parallel for us as hospital consultants. We are frustrated at being unable to deliver proper healthcare to our patients due to the deficiencies in the hospital system. We are tired of doctors, nurses and other frontline workers being blamed when it is deficiencies in planning and implementation which result in continuing crisis in our acute hospitals.
The public health doctors' strike is now entering a fifth week. The Minister can and should negotiate to resolve the dispute but has chosen not to do so.
We have called on hospital consultants to take action in support of our colleagues in public health. We would like to reassure the public that we will ensure that such action does not undermine immediate patient care and reject the recent reports that we intend to cancel elective hospital admissions.
We share with our public health doctor colleagues their frustration and disillusionment with the management of the health service in Ireland.
The onus now lies with the Minister for Health to act decisively in the interest of the Irish people and their health service to resolve this dispute - Yours, etc.,
Dr CHRISTINE O'MALLEY, Consultant Physician (Chairman); Dr KATE GANTER, Consultant Psychiatrist; Mr SEAN TIERNEY, Consultant Surgeon; Dr MICHAEL THORNTON, Consultant Anaesthetist; on behalf of the Consultant Committee of the Irish Medical Organisation, Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2.