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News: October 2008

Involuntary detention case won, emergency law passed

31 October 2008 | Medico-Legal

The High Court has found that a woman in a psychiatric hospital who challenged her involuntarily detention order, had not been legally detained. However Mr Justice McMahon has put a stay of four weeks on her release. She has been... Read more

Nutritional feeds 'waste millions' – HSE

Gary Culliton | 31 October 2008 | Health Management

Up to €13.5 million per year is wasted on prescribed oral nutritional supplements, the HSE has said, and the Executive will put in place a programme to reduce the amount wasted on these products by €7 million per year. Health... Read more

Medical card over 70s visit GPs 'five times per year'

31 October 2008 |

People over 70 visited their family doctor almost twice as much as average adults in 2007, figures released by the Central Statistics Office have revealed. The CSO report shows that people over 70 years who have a medical card visit... Read more

Monaghan will have St Vincent's workload

By Alan Deeley | 31 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

The cessation of acute services at Monaghan General Hospital will result in an impossible burden being placed on Cavan General Hospital in its absence – equivalent in medical admissions to those at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin, a local GP... Read more

Millions surrendered from mental health properties

By Dara Gantly | 31 October 2008 | Health Management

Three mental health properties worth nearly €8.5 million have been sold since the publication of the mental health strategy ‘A Vision for Change’ in January 2006, with all proceeds having been surrendered to the Exchequer. The total funds from the... Read more

IMB will take action over breaches of drugs legislation

Greg Baxter | 30 October 2008 | Regulation

The conviction of Martin McDaid and M&M McDaid on 16 charges of supplying unauthorised medicinal products has sent a message to anyone providing unauthorised medicinal products, the chief executive of the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) has suggested. Mr Pat O’Mahony... Read more

IMO considering €350 medical 'gold' cards fee cut

Gary Culliton | 30 October 2008 | Industrial Relations

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO)'s GP Committee last night met to discuss a recommended €350 cut in the capitation payment for those who have qualified for medical cards on age grounds.The IMO may decide to ballot its 2,200 GPs on... Read more

Ombudsman clarifies her role in health complaints

Alan Deeley | 30 October 2008 | Regulation

The Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has clarified her role in resolving complaints against public hospitals and HSE service providers, outlining that the Office ‘cannot deal with complaints involving clinical judgment’. Ms O’Reilly said there was ‘some confusion’ among members of the... Read more

Outdated medical terms need updating

Alan Deeley | 30 October 2008 | Public Health

Outdated terminology needs to be tackled alongside service deficiencies for patients who suffer a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), so the public learn the real implications of a ‘minor’ stroke, a group of doctors at Adelaide and Meath Hospital have stated.... Read more

Psychiatric health issues up for debate

Gary Culliton | 30 October 2008 | Public Health

Representatives of the Irish College of Psychiatrists have met with Senator Frances Fitzgerald, Fine Gael Seanad Leader and Health spokesperson and Dr James Reilly, Opposition spokesperson for Health and Children, to discuss a number of psychiatric health related issues. The... Read more

Research into old age is rewarded

Mary Anne Kenny | 29 October 2008 |

Research prizes awarded at the recent meeting of the Irish Gerontological Society in Kilkenny demonstrated the range and quality of the research being carried out into ageing in Ireland. First prize for platform presentation was awarded to Dr Roman Romero-Ortun... Read more

Long waits for orthodontics

29 October 2008 | Health Management

There are some 1,900 people currently awaiting assessment for orthodontic healthcare in the Southern area HSE, with a waiting list stretching for 42-48 months. Fine Gael MEP for Ireland South, Colm Burke raised the issue in the European Parliament in... Read more

Record investment into sight research

Gary Culliton | 29 October 2008 | Research and Education

The Irish charity Fighting Blindness has reported that net income rose by nearly 50 per cent for the year ending March 2008 from €1,022,000 to €1,528,000, resulting in ‘record investment’ in research. Fighting Blindness is funding nine research projects in... Read more

UCC allows embryonic cell research

Gary Culliton | 29 October 2008 | Research and Education

The Governing Body of University College Cork yesterday backed the recommendation of the University’s Academic Council allowing embryonic stem cell research at UCC "under strict guidelines drawn up by the University Research Ethics Board (UREB)". A code of practice for... Read more

Health workers must boost women's awareness of smoking-related cancers

Alan Deeley | 28 October 2008 | Public Health

Healthcare workers across the board need to boost women’s awareness of the range of smoking-related cancers, a public meeting launching results from the EU HELP campaign heard today. This may include taking measures to provide smokers presenting with the human... Read more

Patients unable to access out of hours local co-op services

Greg Baxter | 27 October 2008 | General Practice

A number of patients have been surprised by refusals to be treated at GP co-ops around the country because their GPs have told the co-ops not to treat any of their patients. Irish Medical Times received an email from an... Read more

Abortion service criticised

Ian McGuinness | 24 October 2008 | Public Health

A number of doctors have criticised Marie Stopes International’s new telephone abortion consultation and counselling service, which the organisation said is the first one for Irish women. MSI said the service is staffed by professionals and will allow women to... Read more

Irish Heart Foundation disappointed at 'token' rise in cigarette price

Gary Culliton | 24 October 2008 | Public Health

The Irish Heart Foundation has said it is very disappointed with the ‘token’ budget tax increase on tobacco. Dr Brian Maurer, Medical Director Irish Heart Foundation said: “It is well proven that price is the most effective deterrent to young... Read more

NCHDs complain about working hours on radio

Greg Baxter | 23 October 2008 |

Hundreds of NCHDs contacted a national radio show last week to criticise the amount of hours they are forced to work each week as a result of the HSE’s decreasing reliance on locums, and the likelihood of doctors making mistakes... Read more

HSE will not confirm or deny pay cut for Drumm

Ian McGuinness | 23 October 2008 | Health Management

The Health Service Executive has refused to make a statement on whether or not its CEO, Prof Brendan Drumm, and other high-ranking HSE officials will take a ten per cent pay-cut. In last week’s Budget speech, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan... Read more

HSE is 'secure' with its Ulster Bank contract

Dara Gantly | 22 October 2008 | Health Management

The HSE has expressed its confidence in Ulster Bank, describing its banking arrangements with the financial institution as ‘secure’ following the Government’s decision to extend its multi-billion State guarantee scheme to a number of foreign-owned banks with a major presence... Read more

Reilly denies 'conflict of interest'

Gary Culliton | 22 October 2008 | Health Management

Fine Gael Health spokesperson Dr James Reilly has denied there is any conflict of interest between his opposition to the cutbacks in medical card eligibility and his role in negotiating terms on behalf of GPs when the deal on medical... Read more

Mental Health Commission will no longer conduct annual census

Ian McGuinness | 22 October 2008 | Regulation

The Mental Health Commission will no longer conduct an annual inpatient census, it has emerged. The Commission recently announced that the Health Research Board will carry out a survey of inpatients instead, and will contact psychiatric services to inform them... Read more

Budget cutbacks will be 'damaging'

Gary Culliton | 22 October 2008 | Health Management

The Budget will result in very damaging cutbacks in frontline health services, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association President, Dr Paul Oslizlok, has said. This will inevitably occur because of the limited increase of 2.1 per cent provided in the health... Read more

30,000 suffer due to wrong prescription

Greg Baxter | 22 October 2008 | Public Health

A researcher at the Waterford Institute of Tech-nology has told the Vision Impaired Service Providers Alliance (VISPA) conference that preventive measures should be enacted to reduce the most common cause of visual impairment in developed countries: age-related macular degeneration (AMD).... Read more

Care for elderly is disjointed and lacks cohesion

Greg Baxter | 22 October 2008 | Public Health

Care for the elderly is disjointed and has no clear auth-ority responsible for strategy and development, a speaker told a conference of the Vision Impaired Service Providers Alliance (VISPA) in Dublin last week. Michael Bruton, who works with the Department... Read more

Cross-border renal project wins top European award

Dara Gantly | 21 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

Dara Gantly reports on a cross-border initiative on renal care that has won a major European award. A cross-border initiative aimed at improving the care of kidney patients in rural areas in Ireland and Northern Ireland has received a major... Read more

Waterford's new cath lab faces uncertain future

Derbhile Dromey | 21 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

The new cath lab at Waterford Regional Hospital faces an uncertain future, as it has no guarantee that it will receive the funding it needs to continue. The lab received €1.3m when it opened in May, but this will only... Read more

IMO law change: IPU also demanding direct talks with State

Gary Culliton | 21 October 2008 | General Practice

A major row has erupted, with the Irish Pharmacy Union demanding that it too be allowed to negotiate directly with the HSE about members' fees. "If the Irish Medical Organisation is to be allowed to negotiate directly with the HSE,... Read more

Health Info Bill delayed

Dara Gantly | 21 October 2008 | Health Management

The long-awaited Health Information Bill, part of the Government’s ongoing Health Reform Programme, will not be brought forward until the latter half of next year at the earliest, it has emerged. The proposed legislation deals with the collection, use, sharing,... Read more

Over-70s medical 'gold' cards to end

Gary Culliton | 21 October 2008 | Health Management

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has welcomed a process which will be put in place to make recommendations on a single capitation fee for a medical card patients over 70. The process chaired by Mr Eddie Sullivan is due to... Read more

State faces €.5 billion cost for MRSA claims

Dara Gantly | 21 October 2008 | Public Health

The number of claims for alleged healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) lodged with the State Claims Agency (SCA) is nearing 100, the Minister for Health has confirmed. Minister Mary Harney said that the exact number of cases was 98, and that... Read more

One-parent families hit by card guidelines

Ian McGuinness | 21 October 2008 | Health Management

The income guidelines for medical cards can discriminate against families where one parent decides to be a homemaker, a section of the Citizens Information Service (CIS) has said. The remark was made by County Leitrim CIS in the Citizens Information... Read more

Addict refused help to quit

Ian McGuinness | 21 October 2008 | Public Health

An addict was refused a grant by the Health Service Executive to meet the costs of accessing rehabilitation facilities and, as a result, was at risk of homelessness and addiction, according to a report in a Citizens Information Board bulletin.... Read more

Gilmore claims HSE can’t means test

Gary Culliton | 21 October 2008 | Health Management

Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore has written to Prof Brendan Drumm challenging the legal authority of the Health Service Executive to require persons over 70 to return means-test forms for medical cards in advance of the enactment of appropriate legislation by... Read more

ED consultants get payout

Dara Gantly | 17 October 2008 | Private Healthcare

The Department of Health and Health Service Executive insist that its historic prohibition on private practice in emergency departments (EDs) remains in place, despite a recent ruling which found that consultants in emergency medicine had been deprived of opportunities... Read more

IHCA seek meeting as Type A consultants deemed liable for tax

Gary Culliton | 17 October 2008 | Industrial Relations

The IHCA has sought a meeting with the HSE, demanding clarification about a potential major new tax liability for Type A consultants, who are exclusively State-salaried. The HSE has also approached the Revenue Comissioners about the matter. Under the Finance... Read more

iPods at volume can lead to permanent hearing loss

Dara Gantly | 17 October 2008 | Public Health

Listening to personal music players at a high volume over a sustained period can lead to permanent hearing damage, European experts have warned. A report from the EU Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) released this... Read more

Court says HSE should fund unit

Ian McGuinness | 17 October 2008 | Health Management

The Labour Court has recommended that the HSE provide enough funding to implement full staffing levels at Wexford General Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED). The Court recommendation was issued late last month after a Labour Relations Commission conciliation conference between the... Read more

Reilly slams over 70s medical card scheme 'climbdown'

Gary Culliton | 17 October 2008 | Health Management

Fine Gael Health Spokesperson, Dr James Reilly TD, has said the Government has been forced into a desperate climbdown on over-70s medical cards but their tinkering with income limits is nowhere near good enough after their vicious attack on the... Read more

Harney 'hammers pensioners' with Medical Card and tax

Gary Culliton | 16 October 2008 | Health Management

Fine Gael Health Spokesperson, Dr James Reilly TD, has said the removal of the over-70s medical card from 125,000 people, which the Taoiseach describes as not ‘unreasonable’, means a 2% health levy worth at least €200 million on top of... Read more

New service is Ireland's first abortion consultation and counselling service

Ian McGuinness | 16 October 2008 | News

Marie Stopes International (MSI) has said it is now providing what it claimed is Ireland’s first abortion consultation and counselling telephone service. The organisation said this allows women an alternative to ‘face to face’ appointments. It said the phone service:... Read more

Self-regulation 'out of step' with modern world

By Greg Baxter | 16 October 2008 | Regulation

Dr John Hillery, former president of the Medical Council, was appointed as President of the International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities last week. It is his second two-year term as president of the Association. In his acceptance speech, he called... Read more

Huge inequities in health access

Greg Baxter | 16 October 2008 | Foreign News

The WHO’s 2008 World Health Report has found significant inequities in health outcomes, access and cost in poor countries, and calls for investment in primary care to tackle those inequities. The report, ‘Primary Health Care – Now More Than Ever’,... Read more

Number of card holders doubles

Ian McGuinness | 16 October 2008 | Health Management

The number of medical cards granted in the last month has doubled as the economy begins to contract. Over 15,600 additional people were given medical cards in September, the biggest monthly increase this year so far and double the usual... Read more

Supermarkets could play healthcare role

Greg Baxter | 16 October 2008 | Public Health

Supermarkets could provide a crucial and as yet unavailable health service for people who have had acute episodes and may not know where to go next, or how to get there, according to Vincent Barton, Managing Director of Prospectus Strategy... Read more

HSE not in breach of competition law over GMS

Dara Gantly | 16 October 2008 | Health Management

The Competition Authority (CA) has determined that the HSE is not in violation of competition law in relation to the various schemes it administers for the provision of prescription drugs to the general public. The CA issued the enforcement decision... Read more

Bruton rejects Harney claims

15 October 2008 | Health Management

Fine Gael Finance Spokesperson & Deputy Leader, Richard Bruton TD, has dismissed claims made by Health Minister Mary Harney about the effect Fine Gael’s economic proposals would have on health. “Minister Harney has repeatedly claimed that I wanted to cut... Read more

'Very damaging cutbacks' in frontline services

Gary Culliton | 15 October 2008 | Health Management

The IHCA President, Dr. Paul Oslizlok, has expressed his extreme concern that the Budget will result in very damaging cutbacks in frontline health services. This will inevitably occur because of the limited increase of 2.1% provided in the Health Current... Read more

Health quangos rationalised

Gary Culliton | 15 October 2008 | Health Management

Health Minister Mary Harney, has announced a major programme of agency rationalisation in the health sector. The programme involves a total of 15 agencies as follows:... Read more

No sign of promised €25m for mental health– Amnesty

Gary Culliton | 15 October 2008 | Health Management

Reacting to figures announced today by John Moloney TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Equality, Disability and Mental Health, for mental health services in Budget 2009, Colm O’Gorman Executive Director with Amnesty International Irish section, said: "We are deeply... Read more

Over 70s: 'ten year wait' to re-apply for VHI cover

Gary Culliton | 15 October 2008 | Health Management

People with a pre-existing illness – who had surrendered private insurance cover on becoming entitled to an over 70s Medical Card – are being told by the VHI that they must wait ten years if they reapply for cover. Labour... Read more

Major budget changes in health area

Gary Culliton | 15 October 2008 | Health Management

Health Minister Harney has announced details of the 2009 Estimates for the health services. The Minister said the government was introducing means testing for medical cards for all persons currently aged 70 and over. “Even in these circumstances, total current... Read more

Over 70 Medical Card holders to be contacted

15 October 2008 | Health Management

The HSE is to make contact with all over-70 medical card holders in the coming weeks to seek details of their income. The move follows the removal of their automatic right to a medical card in yesterday's budget.... Read more

Failure to raise spirits tax slammed

Gary CUlliton | 15 October 2008 | Public Health

The RCPI has welcomed the budget increase in the duty levied on wine but slammed the failure to increase the duty on other alcohol products and spirits in particular. Dr. Declan Bedford, Faculty spokesperson on alcohol said the evidence is... Read more

INO predicts severe service cuts after budget

Gary CUlliton | 15 October 2008 | Health Management

The Government’s decision to increase the health allocation in this year’s budget by just 2.1%, which is significantly less than the rate of inflation, will lead to severe cuts in services, extended waiting times for treatment and even greater overcrowding... Read more

Reilly slams Budget "attack on elderly"

Gary Culliton | 15 October 2008 | Health Management

Fine Gael Health spokesperson Dr James Reilly has slammed restrictions on over 70s medical cards imposed in the budget. “What will all this means-testing cost, to catch the minority of over 70s who will not be entitled to a medical... Read more

St James’s awards contracts for security and parking services

Ian McGuinness | 15 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

St James’s Hospital has announced that it has awarded two separate contracts for security and car parking services at its campus, but has not stated how much it will spend on these. It announced that Federal Security Group, which is... Read more

Objections hinder Phibsborough plan

Ian McGuinness | 15 October 2008 | Planning and Development

A proposed development in Phibsborough, Dublin 7, which would include 35 medical consultancy suites, has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála. The applicant, Stateford Limited, received planning permission from Dublin City Council last month to build the development, which would... Read more

IPU surprised by new document

Gary Culliton | 15 October 2008 | Health Management

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has expressed surprise at the publication of a consultation document at this time on the issue of negotiations between the State and pharmacists given recent rulings on the issue by the High Court and the... Read more

Mole mapping clinic opens in Cork hospital

Gary Culliton | 15 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

A new clinic to improve detection of cancerous moles is now up and running at Cork University Hospital (CUH). The new mole mapping clinic, which has been introduced as part of the melanoma service in CUH, is the first of... Read more

More psychologists needed in system

Ian McGuinness | 14 October 2008 | Health Management

There is too much dependence on medication to treat psychological illnesses, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health has been told. The Irish Association of Psychologists in Mental Health called instead for more psychologists to be appointed to the health service,... Read more

Department of Health still to submit its report

Ian McGuinness | 14 October 2008 | Health Management

The Department of Health is the only Government department that has still not submitted its progress report on the Programme for Government to the Taoiseach’s department. The update report, Implementation of an Agreed Programme for Government - Progress Report 2008,... Read more

Vulnerable must be protected by Pharmacy Act

Gary Culliton | 14 October 2008 | Regulation

The implementation of the 2007 Pharmacy Act must ensure protection of the most vulnerable in society and enable pharmacists to meet the challenge of an increasingly complex and evolving therapeutic environment, according to Dr Mary Keys, Lecturer, School of Law,... Read more

HSE freeze affects speech therapists

Greg Baxter | 14 October 2008 | Health Management

Only one out of 98 speech and language therapists who qualified in Ireland this year has been hired by the HSE, seven years after a Government-commissioned report called for an additional 985 speech and language therapists by 2015. Fine Gael... Read more

Families struggle to meet costs of healthcare — survey

Terence Cosgrave | 14 October 2008 | General Practice

Irish families are finding the costs of primary healthcare too difficult to meet and increasingly stressful, so much so that they put off visits to the GP, according to new research. The survey found that families believe they are finding... Read more

IMT cancer story

13 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

A report in the Irish Times of 13 October, confirms a story carried in the Irish Medical Times on July 30. The Irish Times suggests that the HSE look-back review into radiology services in the northeast has found an extra... Read more

GPs get €390 extra for 'McCreevy' over 70s Medical Cards

Gary Culliton | 13 October 2008 | General Practice

The Government, as part of proposed cutback measures, is currently considering abolishing automatic entitlement to free GP care regardless of income for everyone in future, once they reach the age of 70. The medical card scheme for over-70s – introduced... Read more

Mullingar: 108 bed wing empty for 11 years

Gary Culliton | 10 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

It is now highly unlikely that the HSE will open the 108-bed Phase 2B block at Mullingar Hospital as planned – eleven years after its completion, Irish Medical Times has learned. Health Minister Mary Harney last month pledged that the... Read more

Drumm calls time on EDs

Greg Baxter | 10 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

Urban centres cannot sustain their current number of emergency departments (EDs), and the centralisation currently under way in cancer services must be repeated in areas such as critical care, complex surgery, coronary care and EDs, Prof Brendan Drumm told the... Read more

IMO to vote on partnerships

10 October 2008 | Industrial Relations

Health has seen the largest jump in public service employees since the turn of the millennium, with a 38.8 per cent increase. In 2000, a total of 81,513 whole-time equivalents (WTEs) were employed in the health service. According to projected... Read more

Health service staff increase by 39 per cent since 2000

Dara Gantly | 10 October 2008 | Private Healthcare

Health has seen the largest jump in public service employees since the turn of the millennium, with a 38.8 per cent increase. In 2000, a total of 81,513 whole-time equivalents (WTEs) were employed in the health service. According to projected... Read more

Extended working day for HSE staff?

Ian McGuinness | 10 October 2008 | Industrial Relations

Community nurses, pharmacists and administration and support staff are the next groups of workers for whom health employers want to implement an extended working day, one of the managements’ negotiators has said. The unions representing staff in the health service... Read more

Planning application from Mater is invalid

10 October 2008 | Planning and Development

An attempt by the Mater Hospital to convert an old convent building, so that it could be used for the care of the elderly, has been declared invalid by Dublin City Council because of a technicality. The Council said that... Read more

HSE criticised by Citizens Information Board

Ian McGuinness | 10 October 2008 | Health Management

A report published by the Citizens Information Board has criticised internal communication within the Health Service Executive. The most recently published quarterly Social Policy Report, covering January to March 2008, gave the example of a person who contacted a Citizens... Read more

Nobel Prize goes to HIV research

Gary Culliton | 10 October 2008 | Research and Education

France’s Francoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier will share the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their discovery of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS. In its citation, the Nobel Foundation said: “Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier’s discovery of HIV... Read more

Blackrock Clinic plans to extend its ICU

Ian McGuinness | 10 October 2008 | Private Healthcare

The Blackrock Clinic is planning to expand its intensive care unit. The company behind it — Blackrock Clinic Limited — applied to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in September. The reconfiguration will involve the demolition of a single-storey building (which contains... Read more

'Fair Deal' nursing homes Bill published

Gary Culliton | 09 October 2008 | Public Health

The Minister for Health, Mary Harney, has published the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008. The Bill provides the legislative basis for the new Nursing Homes Support Scheme- A Fair Deal. Families should not find themselves under big financial pressure... Read more

Insignificant numbers request re-evaluation

Terence Cosgrave | 09 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

The Health Service Executive and the Department of Health can offer to re-evaluate the cases of women seen in breast clinics without any significant financial implications, as the number of women who request re-evaluation is statistically insignificant. Prof Arnold Hill,... Read more

Shared investment is future for health

Greg Baxter | 09 October 2008 | Health Management

The future of Irish healthcare is an integrated public/private system, where the cost of investment is shared, and some services are operated under joint governance structures on co-located sites, the chief executive of Beacon Medical Group told the IHCA AGM.... Read more

Vhi screens for diabetes

Greg Baxter | 09 October 2008 | Public Health

Vhi Healthcare will shortly introduce a pilot screening programme for type II diabetes for 60,000 of its members, according to a statement by Dr Bernadette Carr, Vhi’s medical director. Dr Carr, who was addressing the Irish Hospital Consultants Association’s AGM... Read more

Too many meetings stop the real work of healing, Kinsella tells delegates

Greg Baxter | 09 October 2008 | Health Management

Members of the IHCA who were awaiting a presentation from one of the country’s most outspoken business analysts about the future of health insurance at the AGM in Cork instead got an unexpected lecture on healing and the Hippocratic Oath.... Read more

Irish won't pay for health

Greg Baxter | 08 October 2008 | Health Management

Both the Irish public and the British public strongly support more national spending on health, but the Irish public do not want to pay for it, the medical director of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom told the... Read more

HSE system is a 'national disgrace'

Greg Baxter | 08 October 2008 | Health Management

The president of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association called the Health Service Executive a ‘national disgrace’ at the Association’s AGM in Cork. Dr Paul Oslizlok said: “It has been nothing short of a national disgrace that 11 health boards merged... Read more

MRSA infections down on previous years

Greg Baxter | 08 October 2008 | Public Health

MRSA infections for the first six months of 2008 have fallen by 3.5 per cent compared with 2007 and seven per cent when compared with 2006, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). However, Dr Robert Cunney, HPSC microbiologist,... Read more

New CMO to head up patient safety division

Dara Gantly | 08 October 2008 | Health Management

The new Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health is to head up the patient safety division within the Department, it has been confirmed. The move is a significant change in the role of the CMO, as previously the... Read more

'Europe for Patients' campaign launched

08 October 2008 | Foreign News

EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has launched the ‘Europe for Patients’ campaign in Brussels. The campaign highlights the different health policy initiatives the Commission intends to adopt in the coming six to nine months. All these initiatives are bound by... Read more

Stigma attached to mental illness still

Mary Anne Kenny | 07 October 2008 | Public Health

New research has found that the stigma still attached to mental illness means that 62 per cent of patients experienced symptoms of mental ill health for at least one year before getting help. As part of Mental Health Awareness Week,... Read more

Failure to increase tobacco taxes a 'missed opportunity', says RCPI

Ian McGuinness | 07 October 2008 | Public Health

The Government’s failure to increase taxes on tobacco after it introduced the smoking ban has been described as ‘a missed opportunity’ by a prominent public health doctor with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Dr Fenton Howell made the... Read more

Website to promote 'breastway' feeding

Terence Cosgrave | 07 October 2008 | Public Health

A new website dedicated to improving breastfeeding rates in Ireland has registered 130 new users in its first few days of operation. The site — www.thebreastway.ie — was set up in response to concerns of mothers and doctors that not... Read more

Suspend transfer of patients — Reilly

Gary Culliton | 07 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

Fine Gael Health Spokesman, Dr James Reilly, has said that the transfer of cancer patients from local hospitals to new centres of excellence should be suspended until adequate resources are put in place. “Patients need to be put first and... Read more

Tallaght group calls for review of NCH

By Gary Culliton | 07 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

Tallaght Hospital Action Group has called for an independent cost benefit analysis review of the planned new National Children’s Hospital. “In the current economic environment, it is necessary that this takes place now,” the Group said. “The current Government plans... Read more

No decline in errors in years

Greg Baxter | 06 October 2008 | Health Management

The frequency of errors in medical treatment in hospitals and medical practices, despite all the advances in technology and education, has not declined over the last 20 years, according to the President of the European Health Forum, Gastein, a body... Read more

Red tape prevents GP access for the poor

Ian McGuinness | 06 October 2008 | General Practice

Bureaucracy is one of the biggest barriers preventing deprived people from accessing primary care services, a prominent north inner city Dublin GP has told the Irish Social Policy Association’s annual conference. Dr Austin O’Carroll frequently mentioned the homeless, drug users,... Read more

HSE claims 70 per cent uptake of new contract

Dara Gantly | 06 October 2008 | Industrial Relations

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has indicated that the acceptance rate of consultants signing up to new contracts is currently running at approximately 70 per cent. While this figure looks impressive, it includes a number of groups of consultants who... Read more

Labour Court rejects GP trainees’ claim for the same pay scale as SpRs

Ian McGuinness | 03 October 2008 | Industrial Relations

A claim to put GP trainees on the same pay scale as specialist registrars has been rejected by the Labour Court. The case set the Irish Medical Organisation and the Health Service Executive Employers Agency against one another. The union... Read more

Call for the statutory registration of therapists

Gary Culliton | 03 October 2008 | Regulation

Psychological therapists have called on the Government to introduce statutory registration for their professions in Ireland. An umbrella group representing over 5,000 counsellors and psychotherapists in Ireland has called on the Government to introduce statutory registration for their profession in... Read more

MRSA will cost millions

Gary Culliton | 03 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

The HSE faces litigation on a new front over MRSA, with a group now preparing a test case for later this year using consumer laws for the first time. Up until now, MRSA cases have cited medical negligence. Solicitors for... Read more

Health surplus of €95m not spent in 2007

Ian McGuinness | 03 October 2008 | Health Management

The Department of Health (DoH) and the HSE did not spend nearly €95 million allocated by the Exchequer last year. The figure comes from the recently published Audited Appropriation Accounts 2007, released by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr John... Read more

No reason for insurance to rise due to recession

Gary Culliton | 03 October 2008 | Health Management

The Chief Executive of the Injuries Board has hit out at speculation that insurance premiums should rise by 10 per cent to 20 per cent. Responding to recent predictions by the Irish Broker’s Association that international investment market conditions will... Read more

Recession provides impetus for SHI

Ian McGuinness | 02 October 2008 | Health Management

The current recession and the Supreme Court ruling against risk equalisation may provide the impetus for a change in how Ireland’s health system is funded, the Irish Social Policy Association’s annual meeting heard. Dr Stephen Thomas made the remarks while... Read more

Rural docs gather

Terence Cosgrave | 02 October 2008 | General Practice, Hospital Medicine

The 23rd annual Rural Doctors Conference will take place this year in the Twelve Hotel, Barna, Co. Galway. This year’s academic pro-gramme will feature Dr Anthony J. Kilbane MD, from Ann Arbor Michigan, who will address the conference on the... Read more

Call to increase cigarette costs

02 October 2008 | Public Health

The Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) called on the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan TD, to increase the cost of cigarettes by a minimum of €1. Mr Éamonn Rossi, OTC Chief Executive, said the extra revenue generated by the increase... Read more

Most children put in adult psychiatric units

Ian McGuinness | 02 October 2008 | Hospital Medicine

More than 60 per cent of cases in which children were admitted to psychiatric institutions this year involved them being put into adult units, according to the latest statistics. Mental Health Commission figures from the beginning of January to the... Read more

No more medical cards for elderly?

Ian McGuinness | 02 October 2008 | Public Health

Any moves by Government to remove automatic eligibility to the over-70s’ medical card would have to be discussed with the Irish Medical Organisation, the trade union’s President has said. Dr Martin Daly was speak-ing after it was reported that the... Read more

NTPF spends €3 million more in 2007

Ian McGuinness | 01 October 2008 | Health Management

The National Treatment Purchase Fund spent €3.25 million more than it was supposed to last year. The Fund spent almost €91.75 million in 2007, even though it had been estimated that it would need almost €88.5 million in that year.... Read more

Bully conference launch

Terence Cosgrave | 01 October 2008 | Research and Education

The National Bullying Con-ference 2008 was launched last week and will take place on Tuesday, October 21 at the Crowne Plaza Dublin Northwood Hotel. The Conference will be chaired by presenter Matt Cooper and will include a panel of experienced... Read more

Meath GP advises HSE on primary care

Ian McGuinness | 01 October 2008 | General Practice

A Co Meath GP has been appointed as advisor to the HSE’s Primary Care Transformation Programme. Dr Joe Clarke, of Shandon House in Summerhill, told Irish Medical Times he began working in that capacity at the beginning of June. The... Read more

Reilly pushes for patient safety body

Greg Baxter | 01 October 2008 | Public Health

The most recent breast cancer misdiagnosis in Ennis General Hospital only underlines the need to create a Patient Safety Authority that advocates for patients before ‘mounting public, media and political pressure’, the Fine Gael spokesman for health, Dr James Reilly,... Read more