Health ‘squabbles’ spark staff anxiety

Internal Government "squabbles" over planned health service changes are causing "huge anxiety" for staff and contributing to "a real sense of policy drift" in the system, a leading group has warned.

The Irish Medical Organisation made the claim after a week dominated by a public spat between Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Health Minister Leo Varadkar over what health cuts can and cannot be achieved.

While government officials have since moved to defuse the pre-budget stand-off, in recent days Mr Kenny has rebuked Mr Varadkar for his habit of “shirking” policies, insisting thata minister cannot just say “what you cannot do”.