Reforms a farce that ‘Flann O’Brien couldn’t have conceived’

Health Minister James Reilly has been lambasted by the head of the Irish Medical Organisation for presiding over a reform “farce” that even “Flann O’Brien couldn’t have conceived”.

In his keynote address, the organisation’s chief executive George McNeice hit out at Dr Reilly for allowing “mandarins” to still “defend the indefensible”, the medical cards delays “farce”, junior doctor shortages “chaos”, and a “two-tier system where neither tier now commands much respect”.

Mr McNeice criticised the litany of broken promises since the general election last year, a GP system “creaking under the weight” of responsibilities, an ongoing manpower crisis at a time of mass emigration, the “madness” of privatising primary care and the “dangerous path” of only talking about the health service in financial terms.

While he stressed doctors continue to be “100% committed” to improving the system, Mr McNeice added that without real leadership any move will fail in “the dead hands of the HSE and the Department of Health”.

“Flann O’Brien couldn’t have conceived of a better farce,” he said. “A year ago people across the country were very optimistic at the election of the new Government… But the optimism and enthusiasm of a year ago has all but disappeared and the overriding impression now is of how little has changed, not how much.

“Our members see the misery and stress faced by those who have lost their jobs or who live in fear of losing them. They see the increasing desperation of people trying to make less and less go further and further. And they see their ability to help patients come under massive pressure as resources are pared back, beds closed and services withdrawn.

“When young doctors simply no longer want to work in the Irish health service because they fail to see a future here, you have a crisis… So let’s stop the empty talk and see some proper action.”

Delegates responded in kind, passing motions stating that it is “impossible” for frontline services to live within budgets which have fallen by €2.5bn in three years, and that a monthly budget update should be introduced.

Meanwhile, the HSE’s treatment of Pakistani and Indian recruits to Ireland last year has been branded “racist” by leading doctors, who warned the debacle has caused untold damage to our international medical reputation.

The physicians said if “70 or 80” of this year’s Irish doctor graduates facing emigration were treated as badly abroad, there would be uproar.