Sir, - In 1999 fund-raising was started to help buy an essential piece of medical equipment for Wexford General Hospital - a CT-scanner. An acute hospital cannot function without a CT-scanner; nevertheless, the Government required that the people of Wexford should run race nights and dinner dances before their hospital was properly equipped to diagnose strokes, brain tumours or abdominal abscesses.
In January this year the CT-scanner was at last installed and ready for use. However, for the hospital to provide a comprehensive radiology service, at least one more consultant radiologist is required. In September 2001, Comhairle na nOspideal, the statutory body charged with regulating consultant appointments, approved a third radiologist post for Wexford, pending funding from the Department of Health and Children. The post has not yet been advertised, and there is no sign that it is about to be advertised. This raises a few important questions:
1. Who in the Department of Health and Children or the South Eastern Health Board has decided not to advertise the post?
2. Who in the Department of Health and Children or the South Eastern Health Board has decided that the people of Wexford are not going to have a comprehensive radiology service?
Martin, want the people of Wexford to start fund-raising again - for a radiologist? - Yours, etc.,
Toddy Daly, Brooklawn Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin.