Madam, - I read with interest the news that 1000 new beds are to be created in the public hospital sector. This is a welcome initiative for both patients and healthcare professionals. The Minister should be congratulated on it.
Sadly, in the same week that this news was announced we also learned of yet another example of administrative incompetence in the health service. I refer to the bizarre incident in which an employee was paid a million euro in error.
It has subsequently emerged that apparently only four people working in the Department of Health understand how the payroll system works. One can only gasp at this level of ineptitude.
Unfortunately, the adminstrative culture running our health service has demonstrated this type of incompetence repeatedly on a national scale. As a result we have lost 3,000 hospital beds since 1990 and doubled the number of administrators since 1997. It is thus vital that the 1,000 new beds be managed by healthcare professionals and not by those with a proven record of failure.
Reform of health service administration is essential if these new beds are to be put to good use. It is imperative that the Tánaiste continues to resist those vested interests within her Department intent on obstructing this process. - Yours, etc,
Dr RUAIRI HANLEY,
The Rise,
Mount Merrion,
Co Dublin.