Sláintecare and Noël Browne’s vision

Sir, – In his review of Alan Gilsenan’s excellent documentary (shown recently on RTÉ), The Seven Ages of Noël Browne, Ed Power highlights how the joint opposition of the hierarchy and “all-powerful” medical consultants – together with the lack of support of his own party and the government – led to the demise of Browne’s non-means tested, free-to-access mother-and-child scheme (“Noël Browne had a vision for a healthy, compassionate Ireland. The church and the medical profession blocked him”, Television, July 31st).

If he were alive today, Browne would no doubt be very pleased to see another Minister for Health championing an even more radical and necessary reform of our public health services under Sláintecare, this time with all-party support and without as much as the whisper of a prayer being heard on the matter.

As for the continuing opposition of many consultants to Sláintecare, I think Browne would be frustrated, but not in the least surprised. – Yours, etc,

CHRIS FITZPATRICK,