Taking a scalpel to health costs

Views on the impact of the recession on the Irish health system at the ESRI/TCD conference were that when it comes to cutting costs, the Government may be using a machete where a scalpel will do. Lloyd Mudiwa reports. While the Irish Government has presented aspirations of a lean, mean health system in a tight-fitting superhero suit, the reality was rather one of an overweight service suddenly being asked to watch what it eats, according to Dr Steve Thomas. The Associate Professor at the Centre for Health Policy and Management at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) was presenting his findings so…