Minister 'badly afflicted by a case of out-of-touchitis'

Flu and the winter vomiting bug may be the afflictions of the season, but out-of-touch-itis is the one that’s taken hold of Simon Harris, writes Caroline O'Doherty

Emergency departments are overflowing, GPs are swamped, waiting lists are out of control, mental health services are in crisis, staff are in exodus, and nurses are about to strike — the list of ailments affecting the health service is long, serious, and, one would think, obvious.