Quinn says health boards may need overhaul

Labour Leader, Ruairi Quinn, says a restructuring of the health boards may be necessary.

He was speaking on a visit to Nenagh General hospital in Co Tipperary, which has been allocated 7 new nursing posts, yet they have not been advertised.

Ruairi Quinn is in favour of a complete review of the health system from the top down.

“I think we are going to have to look at the health boards. There is an enormous dissatisfaction among practitioners, nurses, patients and all people in our hospital system at that they see to be enormous levels of inefficiency and incompetence.

Starting from the Department of health down we have to look at the way this system is managed.”

The Labour Party leader Ruairi Quinn is visiting constituencies in Tipperary, Kilkenny and Carlow today to bolster support for his local colleagues.

Senator Kathleen O’Meara is hoping to take a seat for Labour in Tipperary north following the resignation of Fianna Fail’s Michael O’Kennedy and she accompanied Mr Quinn on a visit to Nenagh Hospital today.

Arriving at the hospital, the Labour leader was told that there is only one nurse on duty in the A&E ward after 8.30pm and that casualties are regularly diverted to Limerick.

He also spoke to members of the public, who complained about the inadequacy of the health service and delays in receiving treatment.