Madam, - It appears that the National Hospitals Office has been charged with identifying the hospitals and specialities that will benefit from additional acute hospital beds provided for under the National Health Strategy (The Irish Times, July 11th). This task is to be completed by December 2007.
At the last general election, Fianna Fáil made much of its commitment to the health strategy, and the additional beds provided for in it. Its economic manifesto contained detailed costings for capital expenditure to deliver the strategy within five years, including an additional €1,102 million in capital funding in 2003 and subsequent years. Needless to say, it never happened.
We now learn that the next general election will have passed before the Government even decides where the beds promised, additional beds, should go.
Another disturbing aspect is the indication that 10 or 12 smaller hospitals will be downgraded in line with the Hanley Report. There has been no consultation or debate on the policy and with the abolition of democratic forums, the possibility of accountability has been severely curtailed by a Government that avoids scrutiny of major decisions affecting patients. - Yours, etc,
LIZ McMANUS TD, The Labour Party, Leinster House, Dublin 2.