Consultants excluded from 15% voluntary pay cut….

It was reported in the Irish Times (24 June 2011) that hospital consultants and or their representative bodies lobbied the minister for health, James Reilly, so as not to be included in the 15% voluntary pay waiver announced by Minister of Public Expenditure and Reform on Wednesday last (22 June 2011). This was refuted by both a spokesperson for the Minister of Health and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (known as PER). So why are consultants excluded and who earns what in the public health system?

Programme for Government health commitments, potentially ‘revolutionary’

The first sentence in the health section the new programme for government reads ‘this government is the first in the history of the State that is committed to developing a universal, single tier health services, which guarantees access to medical care based on need, not income’. The opening line of the full document refers to a ‘democratic revolution’ that took place on election day, how with the stroke of a pen the public had demanded change. 

Failure to reform health system behind VHI rise

See article I wrote in today’s Irish Times

VHI in dramatic stand-off with private hospitals

There current stand off between the VHI and some of Ireland’s most high profile private hospitals may result in privately insured patients with VHI cover having to pay more for their care. So, what’s going on and why now?