Poor dying from unequal health care say SVdP

The Society of St Vincent de Paul is calling on the Government to make the provision of healthcare a level playing field.

At the launch of it’s health policy document, the society said thousands of ill people are being forced onto long waiting lists because they cannot afford medical insurance.

The document is the product of 18 months of research and finds that Ireland has the worst life expectancy in Europe at 65 years of age for both men and women as well as one of the highest premature death rates.

Ireland also has the fewest hospital beds per capita in Europe and the lowest acute bed ratio.

Chairman of the Society's National Social Policy, John Monaghan, said the reality is, people particularly the less well off, and are dying prematurely because of the unfair system.