We need to talk about the political football called our health system
TV personality Brendan Courtney has said he and the ‘disgruntled nation’ are sick of the health system being used as a ‘political football’ while people struggle to get the right care for themselves or their families.
Mr Courtney believes his emotionally charged documentary, We Need To Talk About Dad, spurred the Department of Health into action on home care.
The documentary followed his family’s attempts to negotiate the Fair Deal scheme and access home care for his father after he suffered a debilitating stroke.
He told the Irish Mail on Sunday this week that he received an ‘incomprehensible’ draft of a press release issued in the name of Junior Health Minister Helen McEntee.
‘It was absurd. Politics, as you know, is eating itself. It’s become its own microcosm of a world. It has its own language, it has its own rules,’ he said.
‘That press release was written by a lawyer, not to commit to anything so nobody can sue us over anything. And nobody can come back to us on anything so the message gets so lost in the bureaucracy and the convolution of it that actually it’s really illegible.
‘So I just sent it back straight away and said, “translate this into English please” and they did.’
Mr Courtney added: ‘The press release came out the evening of the documentary [Monday], it came as a response for sure. There is no doubt about that.
‘But obviously it was in the plans and we ignited it just a little bit. I suppose the bigger picture is that a disgruntled nation of people are sick and tired of the political football called our health system.’
He added: ‘So ostensibly what it [the press release] is saying is that there is a commitment to put together a committee to consult on the idea of a home care system.’
He continued: I got a text from Helen McEntee last night [Wednesday] which was very complimentary about the documentary and asked when I had a chance whether I could have a chat… I texted her and she hasn’t had a chance to call back so I haven’t spoken to her but I do sense that somebody like her is quite happy with the outcome as it’s helping force her agenda slightly.’