Madam, - I was astonished by the naivety demonstrated by Dr Roisin Costello et al (January 22nd). These 24 highly-educated individuals were essentially saying: (a) we want a national health service to be provided by the Government, with no private involvement; (b) and we don't want it run by bureaucrats.
I hate to be the one to bring bad news, but someone has to point out that one of the essential characteristics of a national health service - in fact of any Government-provided service - is that it is run by bureaucrats. This is just as true in other countries as it is in Ireland. The 24 doctors don't have to take my word for it. On the same page as their missive is a letter from a long-suffering hospital doctor in Sweden, giving us the invaluable benefit of her experience of building a new children's hospital in Stockholm. Different jurisdiction, same message: when you put your healthcare into a national health service, you lose control to bureaucrats.
If the gang of 24 really want to retain some influence on the planning and delivery of medical treatment, then the best thing they can do is to renounce their notions about Government provision of healthcare. - Yours, etc,
NORMAN STEWART,
Malahide,
Co Dublin.