Consultants

[Muintir]

RTÉ Prime Time's investigation of the scandalous nature of consultant practice in the public health system is not surprising but still shocking when so nakedly exposed. Consultants are using the facilities of public hospitals to treat private patients who get treated long before public patients with a nice profit for the consultants. They are also working fewer hours than they are contracted for and paid for in public hospitals, so they can work longer hours in lucrative private hospitals. 6 per cent of consultants treat public patients only. So much for the promise made years ago that a new public-only contract would bring change. 6 per cent!

And to add disgust to shock the Irish Medical Organisation spokesperson Gilligan says the reason is the co-location plan did not go ahead. In other words the Government did not let them build their private hospitals or clinics on public hospital sites. Parasites is the only word for these people. And successive health ministers have let them away with it. Unbelievably the HSE has stopped collecting data on compliance of consultants with the requirement on them to adhere to their contracts and work a minimum of hours in the public system. The lack of response from the HSE and hospital managements, or their pathetic responses when given, was glaring.

This rotten two-tier system must be replaced by a new Irish public health service with care based on medical need alone and not on ability to pay.

 

[TopicGrinder]

Consultants are using the facilities of public hospitals to treat private patients who get treated long before public patients with a nice profit for the consultants.

Do you know how much hospitals charge private patient's insurance companies for the rooms? The public hospitals themselves are making a tidy profit as well from consultants using their facilities to treat private patients. I visited a friend lately in a private room in the Mercy and there was a notice on the back of his door advising that it was a private room with the cost per night. Also said he should contact staff if he didn't have health insurance.

 

[Muintir]

My personal fav moment was the rte reporter stating they sat outside the hospital for a number of weeks checking when he arrived and left....

Wonder how much tax payers money was wasted sitting in a car.

Whether private or public at least the doctor was helping someone.

RTE constantly has a go at medical professionals in this country.

Its called investigative journalism

They deserve it!

 

[ocides]

Can't see any Leotards on here giving much of a response to this. After all their overlord is not going to rock any boats with all his buddies in it.

 

[richiepurg]

My personal fav moment was the rte reporter stating they sat outside the hospital for a number of weeks checking when he arrived and left....

Wonder how much tax payers money was wasted sitting in a car.

Whether private or public at least the doctor was helping someone.

RTE constantly has a go at medical professionals in this country.

RTE is funded by licence and advertising, not by taxation.

 

[nelly sham]

It's their culture.

 

[jeepers]

The entire structure is an appalling mess. The ability to charge the insurance companies directly for the use of facilities for private healthcare suits the hospital managers down to the ground. There's lot of grey area and no accountability, so their utter lack of ability is not exposed for the shambles it is.

 

[Perry_Mace_On]

Its called investigative journalism

Your mob is well versed in sitting in cars waiting for people to come out of buildings.

 

[Muintir]

Your mob is well versed in sitting in cars waiting for people to come out of buildings.

Did ya ever consider writing comedy? because I think you are hilarious !

 

[Bandon Langer]

My personal fav moment was the rte reporter stating they sat outside the hospital for a number of weeks checking when he arrived and left....

Wonder how much tax payers money was wasted sitting in a car.

Whether private or public at least the doctor was helping someone.

RTE constantly has a go at medical professionals in this country.