Good question Mr O’Brien - Medical negligence cases

THE Health Service Executive director general Tony O’Brien yesterday asked a question that has been begging for an answer for years. Mr O’Brien wondered why the State contests long-running medical negligence cases that delay compensation — especially as it loses virtually all of them.

Just this week, there was another example of heartbroken parents speaking on courthouse steps barely choking back the tears as they “hoped the lessons had been learnt”.

Mr O’Brien’s statement, made to the Oireachtas health committee, is another effort to provoke a realistic debate about what kind of health service is possible and how our expectations might be overly ambitious and unrealistic. That sobering debate is overdue and would benefit everyone working in our health services and everyone dependent on them.