Waiting list imbalance is tragic

Objection to extra charge

Dear Madam, It saddened me to discover in recent days, the ever increasing number of public patients waiting for several months for a colonoscopy, a diagnostic test for bowel cancer. Dr. Ray McDermott a medical oncologist at the beacon hospital was commenting on the fact that more than 5000 public patients, were waiting more than three months to have this procedure carried out. A patient needing an urgent colonoscopy should not be waiting more than 28 days to have it done. Private patients can have this test carried out in a twelve day time- frame. Once again this situation highlights the huge inequality between those who can afford private health cover, and those who cannot. Tragically this delay means, that we can expect some late diagnosis of bowel cancer, among those patients on the long waiting lists, which continues to grow year on year. Long waiting times are unacceptable. This growing imbalance needs urgent action by the HSE, the minister for health, and his department, to ensure that all cancer patients get immediate attention, and equal access to life saving support and treatment. Yours Sincerely Dear Madam, Recently, I received a letter from a telecommunications company. I’ve had a package contract agreement with them for years. This includes house phone and broadband services. The letter informed that they now want to, unilaterally, change my contract and move me to a new one which will cost me 7 euro per month extra. If I didn’t object, I’d be automatically moved on to the new contract by 25 August. The service I was getting was barely ok, with very slow broadband and needing their technical support many times per year. They promised me some new extras, like access to the sports pack they’ve invested in. These are things I really do not need and I regard their marketing strategy as sharp practice. I refuse to pay extra. There was a curious statement near the end of their letter “If you’d like to withdraw from your contract without penalty, simply give us a call within 30 days”. When I rang them up, I was told, more or less, it is take it or leave it. I told them I’ll be looking for a new provider. They have shown no loyalty or respect for their thousands of customers. The aim is to tie people into a contract where they hold all the aces. They wish to hustle and bully while charging what suits them. . so I’m asking it to drop this silly extra charge and thereby hold on to its customers.