Sir, – Your editorial "Stroke care: condemned to mediocrity" (August 31st) highlights the lack of dedicated stroke units in the health service, and concludes by asking, "Must we accept a health service that is condemned to perpetual mediocrity?"
The answer is probably yes, and the reason I suspect is that many of the HSE decision makers, and members of the Cabinet, are very likely to have private health insurance (as I do) either as part of their total remuneration package or paid privately. Therefore these individuals may be less likely to put themselves at risk by being proactive in promoting new medical practices and procedures for the HSE. When this is coupled with the so-called vested interests, it’s easy to understand our glacial approach to change. – Yours, etc,
MIKE CORMACK,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.