Patients and information

Sir, – Dr Kieran Moore (August 25th) makes a valid point when he says that the HSE should tell us which of its consultants are registered specialists and which are not.

In the rather scary atmosphere of a hospital, information should not be withheld from patients if they are entitled to know it. The withholding of information means that a patient is not fully enough informed to give a valid consent to treatment.

Each patient should receive an information booklet at the time of admission to hospital giving them key information about the staff, the hospital facilities, the hospital protocols, and, perhaps most importantly, the services not available in the hospital. – Yours, etc,

TOM O’ROURKE,

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Gorey, Co Wexford.