1. Date 18 August 2010
Page 8
YOU’VE
FAILED
MARYHealth Minister ‘would
flunk’ if she was tested
3 PRESSURE
The Health
Minister has
been hit with
criticism
BY
PAT FLANAGAN
pat.flanagan@irishmirror.ie
pat.flanagan@irishmirror.ie
“Her biggest project – to A&E. Despite a 10-point plan in
IF there was a Leaving Cert ‘enable the health 2004 and a “national emergency”
services t provide
i to id in 2006, 300 people were on
for Health Ministers Mary more effectively and trolleys each day in the first half of
Harney would flunk and get efficiently for the 2010
seven straight Fs, it was needs of patients’ – is HOSPITAL beds – just 10 new
also her worst flop. in-patient beds were created
claimed yesterday. “Her flawed design between 2005 and 2007 while HSE
Fine Gael’s health spokesman and lax oversight spending increased by €3billion
Dr James Reilly said Ms Harney has seen patient d CANCELLED operations – more
would have much to be worried services worsen and than 50,000 ops postponed since
about if she was awaiting the staff morale at an all- 2007 due to hospital gridlock
results of her performance in the time low. Its primary J DELAYED discharges – more
post this morning. than 273,000 bed days lost in 2009
He accused the minister of due to the delayed discharge of
being a “dodger” who always function as far as the minister is patients who need to
blames someone else for her own concerned is to deflect move
failures. responsibility from herself.”
Dr Reilly added: “Mary Harney’s For this she would get the lowest
grade possible, he said. from acute beds to more appro-
performance on her key subjects priate care but have nowhere to go
is just not good enough, attracting Other areas where Ms Harney
deserves an “F” include: – a 65% increase since 2007
a failing grade on each one. PATIENT safety – a poll shows
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2. Date 18 August 2010
Page 8
84% of people say it is difficult to
know who to complain to and two-
REPORT CARD
thirds who were unhappy with
their care didn’t complain, and
CO-location – announced in 2005
amid claims it would free up 1,000
beds, five years on not a single sod NAME Mary Harney
DATE August 18, 2010
has been turned on the proposed
new hospitals.
AWARENESS GRADE
SUBJECT
F
Dr Reilly added: “On a more
basic level, the minister has let
herself down.
“Geography – she demonstrates Patients’ needs
F
a poor awareness of any area of the
country north of a Dublin-Galway
line, e.g. the Cancer Strategy.
“Maths – She has serious prob-
A&E
F
lems adding but is very keen to
subtract – especially from front-
line services.
“Science – is strong on theory
Hospital beds
F
but fails the practical every time,
e.g.... cancer vaccine.
“The minister’s results are a Cancelled ops
F
real disappointment but
unfortunately she’s not just
letting herself down, she’s failing
t h e p at i e n t s w h o a r e Delayed discharges
F
depending on the
services she
oversees.”
Patient safety
Co-location F
The
minister’s
results
are a real
disappointment
FINE GAEL’S DR
JAMES REILLY
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