“The government are preparing the public to expect little improvement in the health services for the coming years.”
The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has described aspects of the state of the country’s hospitals as “death zones” due to overcrowding as they hit back at Leo Varadkar’s new Sláintecare plan.
In a strongly worded statement, the IMO – which represents doctors and consultants – argues that the Taoiseach’s latest project is not a strong enough response to the problems currently faced by Irish hospitals.
As outlined by Varadkar at the conclusion of a Cabinet meeting in Kerry on Wednesday, Sláintecare aims to invest billions over the next 10 years in a bid to reform the Irish health service.
Initially, it will cover 100 action points over the next three years, with Minister for Health Simon Harris set to publish an implementation plan in the near future.
“While we welcome the fact that some action points have finally been identified, it is already very clear that Sláintecare is NOT going to transform our health services or radically address the crisis facing patients and healthcare professionals every day,” said the IMO in their official statement.
The organisation stresses that it is committed to reform, but warned that the government “are preparing the public to expect little improvement in the health services for the coming years.”
Furthermore, the IMO expressed concern over “the lack of additional resources” and noted that over the coming months there will continue to be:
• Increased waiting lists
• Overcrowding in Emergency Departments which means that hospitals will have to continue to operate in the “death-zone” where occupancy levels are so high that patients die as a result of overcrowding
• Patients unable to register with a GP due to the capacity issues in General Practice. The GP system is “chronically underfunded” and “urgently requires a roadmap for the reversal of FEMPI cuts made during the recession”
• Over 450 unfilled consultant posts
• And continued wholesale emigration of doctors to countries that provide better terms and conditions and a healthier working environment
The official IMO statement also expresses that it is “very demoralising” for health service professionals to hear blanket plans like the one Varadkar and Harris are fronting, arguing that they are “ignoring the fact that public health services are demand-driven”.
“The Taoiseach and the Minister for Health must understand that Sláintecare will achieve nothing without additional resources to support its implementation,” the IMO remarked.
“If the Taoiseach is signalling that no such resources will be forthcoming, then we have to be realistic about what will and will not be achieved through implementing elements of Sláintecare.”
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