Madam, - You must feel vindicated for your support of Ms Maev-Ann Wren's opinion of hospital consultants and your promotion of her new book now that Prof Brennan has publicly insulted and denigrated every hospital consultant in this country and to a large extent blamed them for the current healthcare problems.
Over 10 years ago, as part of an IHCA delegation, I sat across the table from Department of Health officials and was told that the hospitals of the future would be places with fewer beds. I mentioned the necessity for extra beds for ageing patients, chronic illnesses and in-patient care, but I was told I was out of touch. Today, we know differently, and those of us who work at the core, treating patients, whether they are public or private, know well that this is the real problem at present - we have no beds in which to treat our patients.
Sooner or later, this will have to be addressed. Clearly, healthcare problems are not unique to this country, and there is no perfect system, not even in France. Every system has problems like ours: ageing population, more advanced and more expensive treatments, more demand for healthcare and a climate of increasing litigation.
The children and adults who are treated in the public system are well in tune with the contribution, dedication and expertise given to them by the vast majority of consultants in this country. Contrary to Prof Brennan's opinion, most of us work more than our contract and provide expertise and care that is equal to any international standard. And we do not delegate our 33 hours to our junior staff. - Yours, etc.,
Prof MICHAEL O'KEEFFE, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Mater Hospital, Dublin 7.