Hospitals’ assessment - League table papers over the cracks

IT is difficult to reconcile the league table of Irish hospitals with the reality of the health service.

Doubtless, it makes sense to reward the best hospitals and penalise those which were badly managed last year and which were hit by €7.5 million in fines.

Yet, it is bizarre that the country’s top hospital, Letterkenny General, had to cancel scheduled surgery just a fortnight ago because of emergency ward over-crowding and 28 patients on trollies.