HSE hits back over EU health index slide

The HSE hit back at a critical report into Ireland’s health service, saying the report should not have relied solely on patient feedback and was strongly influenced by Ireland’s law on abortion.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar also took issue with the report’s emphasis on abortion and said it was an issue that should not have been ranked.

In the latest Euro Health Consumer Index, Ireland is down from 14th position in 2013 to 22nd in 2014, behind Spain, Italy, Slovenia, and Slovakia. The Netherlands stays top, gaining 898 out of a maximum 1,000 points, followed by Switzerland, Norway, Finland, and Denmark.