General Election 2007 - Health crisis must be the top priority
As of today the alternative on offer for the people will is Bertie Ahern on behalf of Fianna Fáil, or Enda Kenny of Fine Gael.
Only once in the history of the State has other than the leader of one of the two main parties been elected Taoiseach. That was in the immediate aftermath of the 1948 General Election when the Fine Gael leader, Richard Mulcahy, made way for his colleague John A Costello, in the belief that the latter would have a better chance of forming what became the country’s first coalition government.
No matter who forms the next government it will be faced with the problem of dealing with the crisis in our health service.
All of the parties are essentially promising around 2,000 extra hospital beds, but the big difference is in the way that they will be delivered.
The government has been arguing for the co-location of new private hospitals beside existing public hospitals as a means of freeing up beds in the public hospitals. The opposition parties contend, however, that co-location would lead to a two-tier health service in which the quality of care would ultimately depend on a patient’s ability to pay.
The Health Service has been lurching from crisis to crisis, and the new government is going to have to deal with issues such as the dispute involving the consultants. The recent misdiagnoses of cancer cases are indicative of a frightening malaise within the Health Service.
One outgoing Fianna Fáil deputy admitted that the Health Service is in need of a “root and branch” overhaul.
The Progressive Democrats were the first to publish their election manifesto promising 12 guarantees for better, faster and safer hospital treatment. Within two years, the party promises that all patients attending Accident & Emergency (A&E) departments will have to wait no more than six hours to be seen, once the 12-hour target has been achieved. It is, of course, preposterous that some critically ill patients would have to wait six hours to be seen.
The National Stroke Audit recently published the first three parts of its seven-part report, commissioned by the Irish Heart Foundation. It depicted a frightening scenario.
Around 2,000 people die from a stroke in Ireland each year. It is the third most common cause of death in the country. In addition, 7,000 others suffer from stroke each year, and many are left seriously incapacitated. They become a drain on their families and health resources.
Specialists estimated that between 300 and 500 people could be saved from death each year, and many of the serious disabilities could be alleviated and even eliminated with prompt treatment. Modern clot busting drugs can prevent serious damage, if administered within three hours of a stroke, but that would provide no hope whatever for patients who would have to wait to be seen for six hours in two years time, if the minister’s current goals are achieve.
The audit highlighted the need in our hospitals for dedicated stroke units where stroke victims could be taken for immediate attention, rather than having to wait in A&E.
Some 91% of British hospitals have dedicated stroke units where patients can be taken for such prompt treatment.
But only one of the 37 public hospitals in this country has a dedicated stroke unit.
In fairness, it should be stressed that the professionalism of doctors and nurses generally ensures that such victims arriving at A&E would be treated urgently, rather than on a bureaucratic first come first served basis. But nobody should underestimate the bungling incompetence of some administrators, especially when it comes to life and death situations.
There should be no room for administrative confusion in such matters.
The crisis in relations to cystic fibrosis highlights what can only be described as administrative lunacy. This country has the highest incidences of cystic fibrosis in the world. The HSE recommended that 56 cystic fibrosis specialists should be hired along with 12 consultants and 10 physiotherapists, two pulmonary technicians and eight nurses, along with three social workers.
The government allocated a total of €7m in the last two budgets but that money has not been spent. Of the 91 new staff required, only 11 have so far been hired. Although the money was there, it could not be spent because hospitals were blocked from hiring additional staff due to a cap of staffing levels.
The Labour Party has advocated the introduction of a voluntary redundancy programme for senior and middle management, because the Health Service is grossly overstaffed on the administrative side, while there are vital shortages of medical staff in various areas.
It is obvious that the Health Service is sick and in dire need of treatment. Whatever government gets in must tackle this problem as a top priority.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
