Sir, – Kieran Moore (July 5th) seems to have rather missed the point of my letter (July 2nd) in regard to the absence of complaints against doctors by the HSE.
I would point out that the issue I raised has been flagged previously by the Irish Medical Council itself. Indeed in 2016 the Irish Medical Council president said that “the number of complaints about doctors from the major public employers in other countries would probably be about 25 per cent of the total”.
In Ireland the level of complaints from the HSE was 3 per cent in 2015, and the HSE filed a total of one complaint in 2016. Given such large discrepancies with international norms, it behoves the HSE to provide an explanation.
Dr Moore also ignores the situation where a patient suffers serious injuries (or worse) and is incapable of filing a complaint. In these instances, the abdication of responsibility on the part of the HSE ensures no complaint will ever be filed.
Dr Moore does raise a valid point in regard to oversight of sub-performing HSE managers.
Currently complaints against HSE managers can only be filed using the HSE’s “Your Say” system.
Under this system complaints against HSE managers are investigated by HSE management.
A fully independent forum for dealing with complaints against HSE managers is urgently required, and I would encourage Dr Wood and his medical colleagues to lobby for this in order to ensure equality of treatment for medical staff with management within the HSE. – Yours, etc,
RUARY MARTIN,
Sandyford,
Dublin 18.