The fact that so little seems to have been achieved in the health service hugely devalues the MBA's that adminstrators are trading on.
It seems to expose the vested interest in maintaining the status quo that seems to permeate every level of the health service.
The general gist seems to be that we need hospital administrators, but the consultants cannot stand the thought of hospitals being run by staff nurses.
Yet these are arguably the most competent people to run a ward and - by implication, with an MBA on top of their nursing degree and experience - a hospital.
The myth of theoretically based MBA's alighting from on high to dispense wisdom on running a health service surrounded by a warm glow of wonderment has to be utterly dispelled.
The only people impressed by someone who has an MBA [but no experience] is someone who runs a small pub or country solicitors practice - ulp - that defines half the Dáil, doesn't it?
Well there you go - quod erat demonstrandum.
If you leave the running of hospitals to adminstrators with no grounding in the health service you'll see a growth in the bureaurocracy but little improvement in the service.
Inexperienced MBA's trying to accommodate a hidebound hospital beauracracy ring-fenced by Nurses and Consultants organisations all trying to get a bigger slice of the bandage
We need a root and branch review of the health service, see who's delivering value for money and see what services need to be pruned back.
Otherwsie we'll never close the public service pay gap.
Of course, reducing the health bill starts with people taking better care of themselves and others.
Is an impromvement likely in this drug-addled, binge-drinking, society that we live in?
In the middle of a Depression/Recession/Whaveter.
The simple answer is that it MUST happen.
ONQ.