Madam, – Joe Guilfoyle of Save St Luke’s Campaign (May 4th) asks why there were three chartered accountants on the HSE board and no patient representative. Quite simply, patients are a problem. They expect health services when they are sick – and not next year. They mess up budgets, and the HSE must live within its budget. So you need plenty of chartered accountants.
As for St Luke’s Cancer Hospital, as it stands on acres of valuable land adjacent to the city centre, it is far too good for cancer patients. I understand it can only be sold for “health purposes”, but that could include selling it off to a private hospital for such important procedures as liposuction, Botox and breast implants. – Yours, etc,