‘Private hospitals putting health service at risk’

A group of leading doctors and medics has accused the Government of putting the quality of the health system at risk through its support for privatisation.

The Hospital Services Action Group has claimed government policy is fuelling the growth in private hospitals.

The group said such hospitals refuse to treat emergency cases because of the high cost of doing so, leaving the public sector to pick up the pieces.

The HSAG is holding a conference to discuss the issue in Dublin this weekend.