Madam, - Fintan O'Toole (August 23rd) raised important issues regarding patient care, quoting sources who claim that outcomes in US hospitals in public ownership exceed those in private ownership.
He then drew inferences as to the implications for the quality of patient care in Ireland in the context of Ms Harney's plans for new hospitals and also, more generally, as to the standards achieved by the independent hospital sector by comparison with publicly funded hospitals.
The effectiveness and quality of the care provided by the independent hospital sector in Ireland has been proven by the fact that, over the decades, they have successfully provided treatment to many thousands of patients, over 150,000 last year alone.
This was confirmed by the highly positive patient satisfaction survey under the National Treatment Purchase Fund. (Privately owned hospitals in Ireland have treated over 20,000 public patients on behalf of the fund over the last three years, thereby reducing waiting lists considerably.)
One reason this is not altogether surprising may be that the medical consultants involved by and large work across both privately and publicly owned hospitals. In our view this arrangement should continue. A further factor is that the majority of nurses and other healthcare professionals in both publicly and privately owned hospitals have come through the same educational formation.
The Independent Hospital Association of Ireland shares Fintan O'Toole's view of the paramount importance of quality in patient care. In its view, new privately owned hospitals must achieve the same standard of outcomes in patient care as has been achieved to date by our members. This is something that, we are sure, will exercise the minds of the Health Services Executive, the Department of Health and Children and health insurers.
Clearly the US and Ireland are very different countries in many regards, including healthcare services.
While perhaps useful in stimulating debate, experience in one does not necessarily provide a guide as to what happens in the other. - Yours, etc,
Dr D O'HARE, Chairman, Independent Hospital Association of Ireland Lower Baggot Street Dublin 2.
A Chara, - The Minister for Health's article (August 24th) on the movement of "private" beds out of public hospitals raises more questions than it answers.
While she proposes to move 1,000 beds, in order to increase public sector capacity, it is unclear why she is not moving the remaining 1,500 or so.
Further, if it is the case that "it is Government policy that the full economic cost should eventually [ my emphasis] be charged", when does she intend to charge the insurance companies and others the remaining tens of millions of euro?
Finally, why does she intend to let the private sector use public land to build "new private hospitals on the campuses of public hospitals" when there is a capacity deficit in public hospitals? Surely this land should be used to extend public hospitals? Will the private sector be asked to pay the full economic cost of the purchase of such lands or will they be granted tax relief for such purchases? If so, she will, in effect, be paying the private sector to buy such land at a discount?
While there are challenges in the health system around capacity, cost and funding, she should reflect carefully on her latest proposals as they will have profound consequences for the future. - Is mise le meas,
Dr JOE MacDONAGH, Brighton Gardens, Rathgar, Dublin 6.
Madam, - At last we have a sensible argument in favour of Ms Harney's plans for the introduction of private medical facilities.
I refer to the letter from Prof John Armstrong (August 26th). I agree entirely with his assessment on the basis of a recent personal experience of such a private medical facility while on holidays in Minorca.
We had departed for Minorca for a two-week holiday on July 3rd last. Unfortunately, I became quite ill after a few days and having had several visits from a local GP, it became necessary to send me to hospital.
We soon discovered that the European health insurance card, issued by the health board, was only useful in a public health facility but no such facility existed in the area. However, once it was established we had private medical insurance I was taken off to a private clinic by ambulance.
At this clinic I was taken straight in to A&E, straight into a cubicle, given a comprehensive range of tests, then in for a cat scan and then taken up to a private room.
All this happened within the space of an hour. I spent four days in this hospital and everything about it was impressive. The staff were super-efficient, the service excellent and the cleanliness first class. Everything in the room was washed/ cleaned comprehensively every day.
No hint of any super bugs there!
I ask, should a Spaniard on holiday here suffer the same fate, would he/she be provided with the same standard of healthcare. I think not.
Enough said. - Yours, etc,
FERGUS LEDWITH, Forest Grange, Drogheda, Co Louth.