A chara, – I was never affected as much by radio as I was by the interview with Emma Mhic Mhathúna on Morning Ireland on Thursday morning. It was harrowing and stark. Can I add my voice to the many who are now asking the Government to help this woman and her young family in any way possible. She deserves that at least. – Is mise,
JENNY McCABE,
Cong, Co Mayo.
Sir, – A few months ago our Taoiseach was daily on our television screens during the violent storms that hit Ireland. The cervical cancer disaster, with human, female consequences, is a violent storm of a different form.
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Where is An Taoiseach now? And where is his leadership when it is now needed? – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL O’CONNOR,
Midleton Co Cork.
Sir, – I am a retired consultant anaesthetist and find the present controversy over “truth” in the cervical smear findings abhorrent.
I have had problems in the past concerning patients’ satisfaction with my anaesthetics and have personally talked to them face to face and explained the situation pertinent to their concerns. I was truthful and allayed their concerns. It has been my experience both overseas and in Ireland that a full and truthful explanation of events is the only way to say “sorry but we are human and very occasionally don’t get it right”.
As far as the management in the health service is concerned the first reaction is close ranks and admit nothing. This is an institutional response especially promoted by insurance agencies of all kinds.
We are human beings and if we have done something unfortunate or unintentional then an apology is a normal human response. Why does this normal response go out the window in major institutions?
The answer lies in the parallel universe of front line delivery of services and the “poor” management behind the delivery of those services – especially in the HSE.
Most medical services are delivered by professionals who have achieved the top qualifications pertinent to their fields of expertise. Management on the contrary are scrambling up the ladder without the primary goal of why they are there in the first place – the patient! Until that bilateral bridge is crossed between professionals and management we can expect repeated mistakes of the past.
Finally, I would question the action of past Ministers of Health: Micheál Martin, Mary Harney, Mary Coughlan, Leo Varadkar, and latterly Simon Harris who have not questioned their comfort of ignorance and demanded that just because it was always so that we should not demand better.
It is always better to challenge tradition and forensically analyse the accepted than to drift from one year to the next from one Minister to the next.
In my career and life in general I learnt that the truth wins out every time. I remain yours in clear medical conscience. – Yours, etc,
PETER M THORPE,
Retired Consultant
Anaesthetist,
Cork.
Sir, – The tipping point for Tony O’Brien seems to be the revelation that the HSE focus was on the PR management of the cervical check controversy.
This comes as no surprise to those of us working in the HSE. Health policy and implementation in Ireland is massively and inappropriately influenced by the hot emotional “battle of the airwaves”. HSE managers recognise that public perception invariably trumps cold complex medical fact and are thus compelled to fight on the PR battlefield presented to them.
In preparing a PR strategy, Mr O’Brien was simply doing his job and I for one have great sympathy for him in this instance. – Yours, etc,
CHRIS COTTER,
Consultant Oral &
Maxillofacial Surgeon,
Cork.
Sir, – The days of patting women on the head and deciding what is best for them are over. Bravo Vicky, Emma, Stephen and “John” – vanguards of truth. Roll on May 25th. – Yours, etc,
DOROTHY BARRY,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – The sudden announcement that HSE Director Tony O’Brien has resigned his position has given all the politicians an easy fall-guy for the farce that has gone on within all health service. To listen to the roaring and shouting from the elected members of Dáil Éireann condemning the director, it would nearly make you think they care.
I don’t believe they do care. They seek the easy way out and to be popular is an easy thing. I don’t vote for politicians to do that. It is time that all politicians took responsibility in or out of office.
They have no issue when they like to have their photos in the media when the good news is given out, but run far way when something important needs to be done.
I am sick of it. Many are. Time for change. – Yours, etc,
PAUL DORAN,
Dublin 22.
Sir, – So, the common herd, shepherded by our very vocal, but not very responsible, politicians (of all parties and none) and fanned on by our media have got what they wanted – the resignation of someone who worked hard as a public servant. The scapegoat has been identified and separated from the flock. No doubt, the next director general of the HSE will be without blemish and will never, ever make any mistake. – Yours, etc,
MARGARET LEE,
Co Tipperary.
Sir, – Should human empathy be a prerequisite for appointment to senior management in the HSE? – Yours, etc,
JOAN DEEGAN,
Co Kildare.