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News: May 2007

Mental health and social inclusion

25 May 2007 | Features

“Work is the best route to recovery from mental ill-health. Currently only one in five people in this category are employed. Without work, they are at greater risk of social exclusion. Most of them want to work.” This is the... Read more

Polish medicine facing big challenges

Dr Thecla Scully | 25 May 2007 | Features

Since Poland joined the EU almost four years ago, medical and educational establishments all over the country have faced a period of increased restructuring and personnel shuffling. Like many of the other former Communist countries that joined the EU in... Read more

Industrial action and the courts

Ed Madden | 25 May 2007 | Medico-Legal

In light of the recent industrial action by nurses, the question arises as to whether a person whose health has suffered as a result of the action, might be in a position to take successful constitutional action against one or... Read more

Prevent loss of doctors from developing countries

Colin Kerr | 25 May 2007 | Features

International migration of health personnel is a key challenge for health systems in developing countries,” according to WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan. Dr Chan was speaking following the first meeting of the Health Worker Migration Policy Initiative which was held... Read more

Losing the battle for better patient services

Ian McGuinness | 25 May 2007 | Interviews

Former Irish Medical Organisation President (IMO) Dr Christine O’Malley has some big decisions to make in the coming months and at this stage she intends taking three months leave of absence from the public health service in order to consider... Read more

Everything you wanted to know about practice inspections but were afraid to ask

Sandra Ryan | 25 May 2007 | General Practice

The days of voluntary competence assurance (CA) and Continuing Medical Education (CME) are over. With the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) planning primary care inspections in the future and the Medical Council’s ongoing pilot CA scheme, GPs seem to... Read more

Looking past the statistics

Greg Baxter | 25 May 2007 | Public Health, Research and Education

University College Dublin’s (UCD) health policy thinktank, the Centre for Behaviour and Health at the Geary Institute, makes some bold claims about its ability to see through statistics and into the causes of human behaviour. The Centre, which has been... Read more

Trinity awards honorary fellowships to doctors

Greg Baxter | 25 May 2007 | Research and Education

Prof Donal Hollywood was awarded an honorary fellowship by Trinity College Dublin (TCD) for outstanding achievement is his field. Prof Hollywood, the Chair of Oncology at Trinity College, was presented the award last week in recognition of exceptional impact in... Read more

Sales of Nimesulide medications are suspended by IMB

25 May 2007 | Public Health

The marketing and sale of “nimesulide-containing medicinal products for oral use” in Ireland has been suspended with immediate effect, the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) announced last week. The products are: Aulin 100mg granules; Mesulid 100mg granules; Mesulid 100mg tablets; Mesine... Read more

Minister Harney pledges €8m for Drogheda Hospital

Sandra Ryan | 25 May 2007 | Health Management

The Minister for Health Mary Harney said over €8 million has been pledged to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda for expanding capacity before the new regional hospital is built in the North East. Responding to the leaked HSE... Read more

Harney is to remain Minister for Health

Greg Baxter | 25 May 2007 |

Minister for Health, Ms Mary Harney, will continue in her position at least until the new Government is formed. The Department of Health has confirmed that Ms Harney will be Minister during the interregnum government, no matter what the outcome... Read more

New RCGP officers are elected at AGM

Colin Kerr | 25 May 2007 |

The Republic of Ireland faculty of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) officers for 2007/2008 were elected at the College’s recent annual general meeting. They are: Provost, Dr Joseph Martin; Treasurer, Dr Patrick O’Meara; Secretary, Dr Niall Maguire; Representative... Read more

€6.5 million set aside for research

Sandra Ryan | 25 May 2007 | Research and Education

Four consultants have been awarded €6.5 million for protected research time by the Health Research Board (HRB). The funding has been allocated under the HRB’s new Clinician Scientist programme. Professor John Crown, consultant oncologist at St Vincent’s University Hospital; Dr... Read more

Eight counties record drop in medical cards

Ian McGuinness | 25 May 2007 | Public Health

The number of people with a full medical card has fallen in eight counties, according to the latest statistics from the Primary Care Reimbursement Service. Figures for May, when compared to April, show that all of the counties in the... Read more

Thirty nine suites planned for new consultants' clinic

Ian McGuinness | 25 May 2007 | Planning and Development

A consultants’ clinic with dozens of suites is to be built in north Dublin City, if the applicants get permission to proceed with it. J and M Eustace applied to Dublin City Council for planning permission at the Highfield site... Read more

Action possible on EWTD

Ian McGuinness | 25 May 2007 | Medico-Legal

Junior doctors could take cases to the Rights Commission by the end of the year if they are not on European Working Time Directive-compliant rosters, the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has claimed. Talks on the NCHD contract are due to... Read more

A&E losses mean patients at risk

Sandra Ryan | 25 May 2007 | Health Management

The Teamwork report that recommended the closure of a number of A&E units and a loss of health services in the North East will probably result in more adverse incidents, according to the Monaghan Community Alliance, which is campaigning to... Read more

HSE unaware of number of consultant applicants

Ian McGuinness | 25 May 2007 | Health Management

The Health Service Executive (HSE) does not know how many applicants there have been for the controversial new type of consultant posts, the first 68 of which were advertised recently. A spokesperson for the HSE said the Public Appointments Commission... Read more

One-third of NTPF patients went to Galway for care

Ian McGuinness | 25 May 2007 | Health Management

The Galway Clinic and the Bon Secours Hospital in that county treated approximately one-third of all outpatients referred under the National Treatment Purchase Fund last year. The NTPF’s annual report for 2006 showed that at least 2,356 of the 7,480... Read more

IHCA blasts bed review findings

Greg Baxter | 25 May 2007 | Health Management

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has blasted the findings of the Health Service Executive’s (HSE’s) most recent bed capacity review. According to the IHCA, the study was designed with one conclusion- that no new beds are needed- built into... Read more

'Shocking' rise in number of sexual crimes reported

Sandra Ryan | 25 May 2007 |

There has been a “shocking” increase in sexual crime statistics, according to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC). The Centre said rape and sexual assault increased by 3.5 per cent in 2006. The DRCC also saw a 53 per cent... Read more

IHCA starts its campaign of action

Glenn Taylor | 25 May 2007 | Industrial Relations

The campaign of industrial action overwhelming endorsed by members of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association commenced this week. Nine out of 10 hospital consultants voted to take the action in the recent ballot held by the association, and its National... Read more

Trolley counts artificially reduced

Ian McGuinness | 25 May 2007 | Health Management, Hospital Medicine

Trolley counts in large hospitals’ accident and emergency departments are being artificially reduced by refusing to admit seriously ill patients from other hospitals, the former Irish Medical Organisation President, Dr Christine O’Malley, has said. Dr O’Malley, who is currently on... Read more

RCSI and Beaumont clash over plans for College facilities

Ian McGuinness | 25 May 2007 | Planning and Development

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Beaumont Hospital have clashed over plans by the former to extend their educational and research facilities on the campus of the latter. The RCSI applied to Dublin City Council for permission... Read more

Taking the 'luck' out of palliative care

Dr Max Watson | 18 May 2007 | Hospital Medicine

In the ground breaking report of the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care published in 2001, chairman Dr Tony O’Brien writes: “success… will be judged by the extent to which we all learn to recognise and respond to the complex... Read more

A land of opportunity

Greg Baxter | 18 May 2007 | Interviews

US-based doctor Ruth O’Regan is the kind of talented consultant Ireland wants- and needs- back in our hospitals, but she has no intention of returning. Dr O’Regan, a medical oncologist who studied at University College Dublin (UCD) and trained with... Read more

Holles St loses FOI High Court case

Ed Madden | 18 May 2007 | Medico-Legal

On 4 April 2000, the then Minister for Health and Children, Micheál Martin, announced the establishment of a non-statutory post mortem inquiry. The inquiry (known as the the Dunne inquiry), was required: “To review the post mortem examination policy, practice... Read more

Websites and blogs worth a visit

18 May 2007 |

www.alzheimer.ie The website of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland is a valuable resource for both doctors and patients. The website is updated on a regular basis and includes details of the society’s ‘Making Dementia a National Health Priority’ campaign. This... Read more

Your guide to where the parties stand on health

Ian McGuinness | 18 May 2007 |

Labour Party Core Policies Extra 2,300 acute inpatient and 1,500 community care beds Scrap co-location of private and public hospitals Review decision to locate National Children’s Hospital at Mater Hospital Ongoing funding for Cancer Strategy Free health insurance for under... Read more

GPs criticise Fine Gael health policy

18 May 2007 | General Practice, Health Management

Proposals by Fine Gael to provide free medical cards for children under five, and free health insurance for children under 16, have been heavily criticised by GPs. Speaking at the ICGP AGM in Galway last weekend, chair of communications at... Read more

ICGP to meet Quality Authority

18 May 2007 | General Practice, Health Management

The Irish College of General Practitioners will meet the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) to discuss assessment of GP practices. Outgoing chairman of the College Dr Eamonn Shanahan said he welcomes proposals by the HIQA to become involved in assessing... Read more

Nurses’ strike impacts on GP access to tests

18 May 2007 | General Practice

GPs are having problems getting their patients access to hospital services because of the ongoing nurses and midwives dispute. Dr Niall O’Cleirigh, a GP in Dublin’s south inner city, said the dispute has created a “significant obstacle” for general practitioners.... Read more

College to draw up guidelines for new GPs

Sandra Ryan | 18 May 2007 | General Practice

The ICGP is drawing an extensive book of guidelines for new GPs trying to set up in practice for the first time. Dr John Ball, Joint Project Director of the ICGP’s Network of Establishing GPs project, told the AGM that... Read more

HSE obsessed with copying the UK’s National Health Service

18 May 2007 | General Practice, Health Management

The Health Service Executive (HSE) is “obsessed” with copying the NHS in the UK, according to the director of the Postgraduate Resource Centre at the ICGP, Dr Michael Boland. Speaking during a debate about the pressure on GPs, he said... Read more

GP training places will be increased

Sandra Ryan | 18 May 2007 | General Practice, Research and Education

Four GP training programmes will be expanded and a new one created in north Dublin to accommodate demand for GP training and to meet the target of 150 training places by July 2008. Chief Executive of the ICGP Mr Fionán... Read more

Bureaucracy leads to drop in patients

18 May 2007 | General Practice

GPs are losing up to 60 GMS patients a month off their lists, according to the ICGP chair of communications Dr Niall O’Cleirigh. He said that the amount of beurocracy involved in the GMS system means many patients lose their... Read more

GPs must discuss breastfeeding with new mothers

18 May 2007 | General Practice

GPs are not discussing breastfeeding with their antenatal patients as much as they should, according to new research presented at the ICGP AGM. The research was conducted by GP registrar Dr Niamh O’Brien in University College Hospital, Galway, who set... Read more

New guidelines for care of patients who abuse alcohol

Sandra Ryan | 18 May 2007 | General Practice

New guidelines for GPs treating patients with alcohol problems have been launched by the ICGP's Quality in Practice Committee. The guidelines, written by Mr Rolande Anderson, director of the College’s Alcohol Awareness project, the document is aiming to increase the... Read more

Management of chronic disease is under threat

18 May 2007 | Health Management

The “fragmenting” of chronic disease care is a major threat to GPs, Professor Tom Fahey, professor of general practice at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) told the AGM. Prof Fahey said the “creeping” number of patients being... Read more

College marks the death of a former president

18 May 2007 | General Practice

Tribute was paid at the AGM to former ICGP president Dr Deirdre Murphy who died recently afer a long illness. Dr Murphy, who was president of the College from 2002 to 2003, was also an honorary secretary and treasurer of... Read more

Morning-after pill should be OTC

18 May 2007 | Research and Education

Over 70 per cent of teenagers surveyed in the South East said the morning-after pill should be available over the counter in pharmacies, according to the results of research presented at the AGM. GP registrar in Waterford Dr Yvonne Kearney... Read more

Doctors blamed for insurance 'loading'

Greg Baxter | 18 May 2007 | General Practice

The ICGP has met with the Insurance Industry Federation (IIF), the umbrella body for insurance companies in Ireland, after GPs raised concerns about being blamed by patients when they are ‘loaded’ by an insurance company. Outgoing chairman of the ICGP... Read more

ICGP discusses Traveller health

18 May 2007 | General Practice

The ICGP has met with representatives from the Travelling community on behalf of the ICGP to work out how best to provide services to the group. “The statistics on their health, or lack of it, remain very challenging,” said Dr... Read more

Depressed teenagers are reluctant to visit GPs

18 May 2007 | General Practice

A study examining teenagers attitudes to GP services found although teenagers have high levels of depression, they are reluctant to attend their GPs for help. The research won the annual GP registrar research prize at the ICGP AGM in Galway,... Read more

Launch of health policy thinktank

Greg Baxter | 18 May 2007 | Research and Education

A Dublin-based health policy thinktank launched last week, with promises of breakthrough surveys on health, education, ageing, and financial decision making. The Centre for Behaviour and Health at the Geary Institute, University College Dublin (UCD), has been around for a... Read more

Relocation of CMH to North County Dublin is a backward step

Ian McGuinness | 18 May 2007 | Health Management

Relocating the Central Mental Hospital to the site of a proposed new prison in north Dublin would a step backwards from an enlightened Victorian policy, an expert in the field has suggested. Dr Pauline Prior, of the School of Sociology... Read more

Former IMO president set to step away

Sandra Ryan | 18 May 2007 |

Former Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) president Dr Christine O’Malley has decided to step away from her post as consultant geriatrician at Nenagh General Hospital in Tipperary. Irish Medical Times understands Dr O’Malley has asked the Health Service Executive and hospital... Read more

Strong criticism voiced by GPs over HIQA inspections

Sandra Ryan | 18 May 2007 | General Practice, Health Management

GPs will soon be inspected by the new Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), as well as the Medical Council, a move that led to strong criticism from some doctors at the ICGP AGM last weekend in Galway. HIQA, which... Read more

IHCA challenges HSE over campaign and its impact on patient care

Greg Baxter | 18 May 2007 | Industrial Relations

The Secretary General of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has challenged the Health Service Executive (HSE) to give specific examples of how the ‘Campaign of Action’, overwhelmingly endorsed by the Association’s membership, will harm patient care. The IHCA’s campaign... Read more

RCSI graduate entry programme launched

18 May 2007 | Research and Education

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) Graduate Entry Programme (GEP) in Medicine was officially launched by the Minister for Children, Brian Lenihan last week at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) approved the intake of 40... Read more

Electronic prescriptions set to be fast-tracked

Colin Kerr | 18 May 2007 | Health Management, Information Technology

Ireland’s largest e-health care company Helix Health is in negotiations with the Health Service Executive (HSE) to fast-track the introduction of a new system that will allow the GPs and pharmacists to transmit and receive prescriptions electronically. “The introduction of... Read more

HSE will review which properties are bought or sold

Ian McGuinness | 11 May 2007 | Health Management

The Health Service Executive’s (HSE) review of its corporate accommodation throughout the Republic will be used to decide whether it should sell off properties, buy some more or rent them. The HSE said that it has received responses from companies... Read more

Colleges seek role in recruitment

Greg Baxter | 11 May 2007 |

The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) have jointly launched a bid to become an entrenched part of the recruitment process for public appointments. Dr Bernard Silke, Dean of the... Read more

Surgery deadline for breast cancer

Greg Baxter | 11 May 2007 | Health Management

No woman diagnosed with breast cancer must wait more than three weeks for surgery, a major report on quality standards in breast cancer services will recommend. The report, which will be launched on 18 May, was commissioned by the Irish... Read more

St Vincent’s apologised for absentee notices

Ian McGuinness | 11 May 2007 | Industrial Relations

St Vincent’s University Hospital reviewed the number of days its 3,000 staff were absent for in 2005, it has been revealed in a recent Labour Court case. Court documentation stated: “In early 2006, the hospital made a decision to deal... Read more

Doctors are coping with nurse dispute

Ian McGuinness | 11 May 2007 | Industrial Relations

There has been some tension between junior doctors and nurses because of the industrial action taken by the latter group but these workers are coping with the situation, Mr Gerry Barry has said. The Chief Executive of the Health Service... Read more

CF sufferers must wait

Greg Baxter | 11 May 2007 | Health Management

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has acknowledged in the draft of major report that building a new adult referral centre of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients is a priority. However, no financial commitment has been made for the construction of the... Read more