Fórsa has called for the introduction of state-employed general practitioners (GPs) as well as consultants who are exclusively employed in public hospitals. In a submission to the health department’s ‘independent review of private practise in public hospitals,’ the union says citizens should not be obliged to access the public health service via a GP in private practise.

The paper hints that there would be a significant cost attached to employing ‘public-only’ doctors in both hospitals and community surgeries. But it says taxpayers would be willing to fund a system where “citizens had access to an equitable health system in which they could place their trust.”

The union underscored its support for the Sláintecare report, which calls for a universal, accessible and single-tier health service. The report has won cross-party support. Fórsa also expressed its support for a health system “largely founded on strong community health structures that maximise the skills and strength of health and social care professionals.

The submission also calls for hospital clusters to be based on geographical and demographic realities, rather than “the academic pathways of medics.”