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‘The HSE and You’ — and Me
The ‘HSE and YOU’ and me.
In last week’s edition of the Northern Standard there was an article regarding the public consultation document issued by the HSE ‘seeking the input from people from all parts of society as part of a public consultation for the development of a ‘Patient Charter’ for the health services’. It is entitled – ‘HSE and You’ and I asked myself – who is this ‘YOU’ they are referring to. However I decided to read on.
It claims – ‘this public consultation is an opportunity to have your views heard and to contribute to a new Patient Charter that will define what service users can expect from the HSE and what the HSE can expect from service users’. Now when did the HSE ever ask me what I thought of anything to do with the health services before, though I did offer my opinion regularly. However, and more importantly, they have never before listened to my views and have totally ignored my expectations and the expectations of the majority of the people of Monaghan. Not only that but they continue to ignore our expectations and those of the people from many other areas of this country, like Clonmel, Ballinasloe, Loughlinstown, Mallow, Bantry, and many others. The one exception is Roscommon where they did a U-Turn after listening to the representations made by the now Minister, Michael Finneran. No one has challenged the HSE or the Government on yielding to Minister Finneran and ignoring the rest of us.
The article goes on to tell us that this document ‘aims to inform and empower individuals, families and communities to actively look after their own health and to influence quality care in Ireland’. Yes of course they want us to look after our own health. They want to close down hospitals and make them a thing of the past. Let families treat their own sick at home and learn how to carry out the basic life saving procedures and if the patient dies – well everyone dies eventually.
They then introduce another aspect of current policy – ‘arrangements for a partnership of care between everyone involved in healthcare – patients, families, carers, and healthcare providers’. Notice that the healthcare providers are mentioned last. That is in keeping with policy that, in the vast majority of cases, patients should be treated at home and that family must accept responsibility.
They tell us that this document has been developed by the HSE, the Department of H and C; in consultation with patient advocates. We have wondered before where these patient advocates come from as we never seem to be able to find out who was consulted.
The article names nine key areas of responsibility and the first is ‘access’ – something they removed from the people of Monaghan. If any of you decide to fill in this questionnaire then it is your opportunity to let them know that they have already removed your access to hospital care without any consultation – in fact against the wishes of the people of Monaghan as demonstrated ostensibly on numerous occasions.
I could respond to all other eight areas but it would be futile as the HSE are masters at ambiguity but I will point to two more – ‘respect’ and ‘being heard’. The wishes of the people of Monaghan were not heard or respected and that makes this document suspect as I have no trust that anything that might be written in this questionnaire will be respected and listened to. The seven areas for patients are similar but then who is listening?
The HSE Director of Advocacy tells us in the article that much consultation from many quarters has already been incorporated into the document and now the public at large will have an opportunity to make their contribution and have a say in how health services are delivered. I am convinced that the public contribution will be overwhelmed by the contribution of ‘experts’ as these ‘experts’ have framed policy in health during the past decade or more.
Not ever person will have their say here, as you have to be able to go on-line to a web site to answer the questions or you can go on-line and print out the questionnaire and then fill it in and post it back to the HSE. Surely that is removing the possibility of contributing from a huge number of people? Not everyone has a computer, not everyone is computer literate, not everyone is on-line, not everyone has the confidence to read and answer the type of questions contained in this document, but then not everyone has equal access to health care either.
Peadar McMahon