Chaos in our A&Es is for life.... not just post-Christmas

He may draw unfavourable comparisons with the Grinch who Stole Christmas, but Leo Varadkar’s call for a clampdown on Christmas leave as a solution to the post-festive chaos of our emergency departments is, ostensibly, as obvious as the nose on your face, writes Catherine Shanahan

Keep essential services ticking over such as diagnostics and labs, keep the EDs fully staffed, treat patients as they present, so that the numbers don’t keep adding up and, hey presto, come January the EDs will be no more overcrowded than any other time of the year.