Patients must be the priority

AS the last piece of the Government’s plan for reforming the country’s creaking health service finally falls into place, sceptics are already predicting the Coalition will hold back on any tough decisions to avoid a backlash in next year’s local elections.

It also remains unclear if the Government has the backbone to deliver on a key aspect of the Hanly report by breaking the stranglehold of powerful consultants.

No sooner was the long-awaited document released yesterday than the Opposition parties were accusing the Government of dodging the thorny question of downgrading local acute hospitals, an issue which is bound to become a political hot potato in the elections.