Madam, - Dr John Barton (Letters, October 17th), like Dr John Crown, Prof John Armstrong and colleagues (Opinion & Analysis, same day) reflects on the dysfunctional health system which for years has failed to offer an equitable service based on medical need. The late Susie Long's brave action highlighting the status quo is an indictment of our collective inertia.
The absurdity of medical card entitlement acting as a financial disincentive to hospital access is matched only by the National Treatment Purchase Fund rewarding the transfer of public patients from cash-starved hospitals where operating lists are suspended to the care of the same consultants operating in a private capacity.
Dr Barton calls to account the politicians cossetted from the effects of our failed system by their own personal health insurance. The same could be said of most doctors, few of whom would rely on the public health system. Only when we grasp the need for universal health insurance will we see an equitable system. - Yours, etc,
Dr PASCAL O'DEA,
Bagenalstown,
Co Carlow.