A chara, – In diagnosing what's wrong with our hospitals, Leo Varadkar flaunts his experience in Beaumont, Blanchardstown, Crumlin, Blanchardstown, Tallaght, Navan, Wexford and Holles Street hospitals ("I know from experience what is wrong with our hospitals", Opinion & Analysis, November 10th).
I would be more impressed if some of his time on the wards had been spent on the other end of the stethoscope.
Trolleys would soon disappear if members of the Government had to lie on them. – Is mise,
BLAIR NOONAN,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – Leo Varadkar finishes his article with: “The answer is that it’s the obvious good management practices. There’s no mystery to it. I just don’t know why best practice is not mainstreamed.” This is puzzling, since Mr Varadkar was minister for health and did not fix the problems. If it is so easy, perhaps he and Simon Harris, the current Minister, could spend a little time, since it is all so obvious, to put in place this best practice and make the health service better for all. – Yours, etc,
CATHY FENNELLY
Portlaoise, Co Laois.
Sir, – The Taoiseach makes a valid point about running a 24/7 health service, but to provide this, you need doctors, nurses and all the other allied health professionals to staff it.
The fundamental problem with Irish healthcare is that we are running two systems. This is creating a brain drain to the private sector where conditions and remuneration are far better. This leaves the public system languishing. The problem will not be solved until, as a nation, we take the difficult decision to choose one system over the other. – Yours, etc,
Dr FRANK BRODERICK,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – Leo Varadkar once told Brian Cowen in the Dáil that in a few years the then-taoiseach could look forward to "writing boring articles in The Irish Times".
I see Mr Varadkar has taken his own advice. – Yours, etc,
MARTIN FARRELL,
Dublin 18.