Sir, – The latest figures released by the HSE forecasting that the OPD [Outpatient Department] appointment delay is set to continue till 2015, and that the trolley figure is going to rise, comes as no surprise to me, a doctor working in a hospital in Dublin.
There is an elephant in the room – this country desperately needs more doctors .
Previously doctor shortage was experienced in peripheral Irish hospitals but in the last one-two years the effect is felt in major hospitals in Dublin also. OPD appointments are regularly being cancelled, clinics being shut down and no acceptable candidates are found despite repeated advertisements for new posts in so-called big hospitals in the capital.
On one hand, this country is failing to retain Irish-trained doctors due to poor working conditions. On the other hand, clauses of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 with restrictions on training jobs for non-EU medics, and the delayed response of the Irish Medical Council to the plights of foreign doctors, prevent qualified non-EU doctors from coming to Ireland.
Often people complain of the delays and even vent their frustrations at the apparent malfunctioning of the health system on us. Unfortunately we doctors have to bear the brunt of patients’ completely understandable wrath about the health policy failure.
The only silver lining is that unlike his predecessor the current Minister for Health, Dr Leo Varadkar, seems to have identified the problem and is apparently ready to consider the amendments of the Medical Practitioners Act. The sooner the law is amended the better.
Until then unfortunately patients would suffer unless they protest and demand an urgent solution for this stalemate like what people did for water charges. – Yours, etc, DR SHAKYA BHATTACHARJEE Shanganagh Cliffs, Dublin 18.
Sir, – The Government approach to general practice in this country has achieved much media attention.
The crisis continues however and very little other than “spin” has been given to solving the crisis. Most newly-qualified GPs are leaving our shores. For the first time in the history of our State near-retirement GPs are also leaving to take up more lucrative jobs abroad.
Over 30 GP posts remain unfilled in this country today. The Government talks about primary care but what it really talks about is care without general practice. It is hoping that the foundation under which primary care works the GP is not actually needed.
This health policy will leave a generation of Irish people with poor, substandard primary care. It will increase exponentially the cost of secondary care. No doubt in 10 years we will commission another report from the very health administrators that are deciding on this course of action. – Yours, etc, DR TADHG CROWLEY Ayrfield Medical Centre, Kilkenny.