Sir, – Reading an article on the intriguing management arrangements in a Dublin voluntary hospital led me to question why voluntary hospitals exist in the first place ("Hospital executive paid ¤575,000 on leaving post", March 20th).
The term voluntary hospital is one that is applied to hospitals that are funded by the State but where the State doesn’t interfere in the day-to-day management of the hospital. The hospital is therefore free to conduct its business without having to apply the norms of a State institution in its everyday functions. It can spend money as it wishes without direct oversight and it can appoint staff without the transparency normally demanded by the State.
Voluntary hospitals came about as a result of powerful organisations such as the major churches taking the hassle of managing hospitals away from the State in exchange for being able to run them as they like. They are an anachronism.
Perhaps recent incidents where voluntary hospital management publicly challenged government guidelines will ensure their demise. – Yours, etc,
GARRY BURY,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.