Using health as a test case of junior ministers’ usefulness

See below for article on junior ministers from the Irish Independent on 22 July 2014.

The absence of any real achievement by the vast majority of junior ministers must call into question the very necessity of all junior ministerial posts. They have no power to make decisions or allocate money and are really just there to champion a specific aspect of a government department that is perceived to need public and political attention. Let’s use health as a test case of junior ministerial usefulness. 

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The medical card battle may be won but the war for free GP care for all is still being fought

See below for my analysis from the Irish Independent on 23 June 2014. 

White must show some political savvy in lion’s den after holding gun to GPs’ heads

Here is my analysis from Irish Independent on 26 April 2014 on Alex White and free GP care

Time to save lives, not votes

Here is my column from 19 December 2013.

The biggest challenge in healthcare is to translate the evidence base into clinical practice that results in good patient experience and better health. This was the core message of Prof Lord Ara Darzi, Professor of Surgery and a previous Junior Minister for Health in England. He was in Dublin recently to be made a member of the Royal Irish Academy and spoke on innovation in heathcare.

The lucky general

Minister James Reilly has shown remarkable political resilience in the face of questionable achievements to date. My Medical Independent column from 10 October 2013.