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News: January 2009

16,316 operations cancelled in 2008, up 10%

Gary Culliton | 30 January 2009 | Health Management

New figures show the number of cancelled operations increased by 10% in 2008 and 31,219 operations were cancelled in the last two years (see detailed breakdown below). A HSE reply to a Fine Gael Parliamentary Question shows that 16,316 operations... Read more

'Over 1,800 nursing home beds unused'

Gary Culliton | 30 January 2009 | Health Management

Results of a recent member survey by Nursing Homes Ireland, indicates that there are currently over 1,800 unused beds in nursing homes across Ireland at a time when the acute hospital sector is experiencing renewed pressure. The NHI survey highlights... Read more

New arthritis helpline launched

Gary CUlliton | 30 January 2009 | Public Health

A new national helpline for people with arthritis has been launched. This is the first helpline of its kind in the country and aims to provide vital emotional and practical support for people affected by this condition. Arthritis is not... Read more

Irish women living 4.8 years longer

Gary Culliton | 30 January 2009 | Public Health

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has published the 15th official Irish Life Tables. The release contains estimates of life expectancy for the period 2005 to 2007. Some of the key points highlighted in the release include: * Period life expectancy... Read more

Clinical Directors appointed

Gary Culliton | 30 January 2009 | Health Management

More than 40 new Clinical Directors (CDs) have now been appointed across the health service, following the closure of nominations last Friday. More than one nomination emerged at both Mayo General and Letterkenny hospitals and these appointments will go to... Read more

Child placements in adult psychiatric facilities to cease?

June Shannon | 30 January 2009 | Public Health

The Minister with responsibility for Mental Health has made a public commitment to cease the inappropriate practice of admitting children and adolescents to adult psychiatric facilities by the end of next year. Responding to a question from Irish Medical Times... Read more

IMO calls for action now on suicide

30 January 2009 | Public Health

The IMO has called for the full implementation of both Reach Out: The National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention and the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Sub-Committee on the High Level of Suicide in Irish Society. In a new... Read more

Report set to criticise flouting of NCHD working time limits

Dara Gantly | 30 January 2009 | Industrial Relations

A comprehensive review of how the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) is being flouted across the EU is expected to be adopted by the European Commission next month. The first such application report on the Directive since 2000, the review... Read more

'Use Anglo Irish buildings as hospitals, nursing homes'

Gary Culliton | 30 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

The Chief Executive of Charter Medical Group, Mr Dave Shanahan, has said the government could use assets now acquired through Anglo Irish Bank to house hospitals and postpone capital developments under the NDP. “Additionally we could use suitable empty properties... Read more

New dialysis pilot considered for the South-East

Dara Gantly | 30 January 2009 | Public Health

The HSE is considering a pilot project in the South East to provide training to patients or their carers to allow them to carry out their own dialysis treatment. It is envisaged that the pilot project would operate for a... Read more

Irish doctors push for equality of ages

Dara Gantly | 30 January 2009 | Public Health

Two Irish doctors at the Centre for Ageing, Neuroscience and the Humanities, at the Trinity Centre for Health Sciences have stressed that a major drive to improve health equity across the globe should not discount ageism when addressing the social... Read more

Supplements to be available only on prescription?

Mary Anne Kenny | 30 January 2009 | Public Health

‘Draconian’ EU legislation on food supplements was the subject of an Irish petition to the EU Petitions Committee last week. Under the proposed Food Supplements Directive, sales of vitamins and minerals will be restricted to recommended daily allowance (RDA) levels.... Read more

Patients asking for anabolic steroids

Gary Culliton | 29 January 2009 | General Practice

Some 12 per cent of Irish GPs indicated that they had received a request for anabolic steroids from a coach or an athlete without medical indications, a DCU survey, reported in the Irish Medical Journal, has found. A further six... Read more

Irish doctor hits high notes with orchestra

Gary Culliton | 29 January 2009 | Foreign News

Ireland’s Dr Philip Dodd took part in the inaugural concert of the World Doctors Orchestra in Berlin last May, playing first violin. Dr Dodd is Clinical Senior Lecturer in the Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability at TCD and RCSI. A Consultant... Read more

Transit Lounge has little effect on ED

By Gary Culliton | 29 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

The average emergency department (ED) waiting-time at Beaumont Hospital did not improve following the opening of a ‘transit lounge’ there, a study published in the Irish Medical Journal shows. The average time that patients requiring admission spent waiting for a... Read more

Only five primary care teams work from same centre

Gary Culliton | 29 January 2009 | General Practice

Only five primary care teams are co-located in the same building, eight years after the government's primary care plan was announced, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children heard yesterday. By the end of January, around 113 of the... Read more

Medical Council: misconduct finding reasons outlined

Gary Culliton | 28 January 2009 | Regulation

The Fitness to Practise Committee of the Medical Council found Drogheda surgeon Mr Michael Shine guilty of professional misconduct in respect of seven allegations, and embodied its findings in a report. A group representing many alleged victims of Mr Shine... Read more

National Men's Health Policy launched

Gary Culliton | 28 January 2009 | Public Health

The government has launched a National Men’s Health Policy. The aim of the policy is to promote optimum health and well being for all men in Ireland while integrating a health promotion and preventative approach in the delivery of services.... Read more

RCSI Charter Days to focus on cancer care

June Shannon | 28 January 2009 | Research and Education

Olympic gold medallist Ronnie Delany will receive an Honorary Fellowship of the RCSI next month as part of the College’s annual Charter Day Meetings. The Irish athlete will be joined by Dr Carlos Pellegrini, Department of Surgery at the University... Read more

WHO to research medicines for children

28 January 2009 | Research and Education

More than 50 per cent of medicines prescribed for children either have not been developed specifically for them or have not been proven to be safe and effective for use in this age group, according to the World Health Organization... Read more

UL to get Professor of General Practice

28 January 2009 | Research and Education

Ireland’s newest medical school at the University of Limerick is due to advertise the position of Professor of General Practice and Primary Care. The fledgling medical school is further strengthening its other clinical academic areas following recent advertisements for Chairs... Read more

Ready, teddy, go at Bear Hospital

Terence Cosgrave | 28 January 2009 | Research and Education

Due to popular demand, a second day has been added to the annual Teddy Bear Hospital at NUI Galway, which will be visited by a record 950 children this year. The children, from 24 primary schools in the Galway region,... Read more

Obesity drug available over-the-counter

Gary Culliton | 27 January 2009 | Public Health

Dr Donal O'Shea of the Weight Management Clinic in Dublin's Loughlinstown has expressed reservations about a slimming pill available over the counter. Orlistat, under the trade name Xenical, has been available in a prescription dose of 120mgs for 10 years.... Read more

Beaumont Emergency: 35 awaiting admission

Gary Culliton | 27 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

There were 35 people awaiting admission at Dublin's Beaumont Hospital Emergency Department yesterday. There were 25 people on trolleys in Beaumont's Emergency Department awaiting admission and 10 patients in beds in the Admissions Lounge awaiting transfer to beds in wards.... Read more

Pfizer to acquire Wyeth

Gary Culliton | 27 January 2009 | Foreign News

US drugmaker Pfizer is to buy rival Wyeth in a deal worth $68 billion. In 2008, it was estimated that Wyeth employed 3,000 people in Ireland and that Pfizer employed 2,300. “The merger will be financed through a combination of... Read more

Researchers sign Franco-Irish agreement

Dara Gantly | 27 January 2009 | Foreign News

Developments in the investigation of brain injuries, strokes, epilepsy and colorectal cancer are just some of the areas that will benefit from a new Franco-Irish research collaboration signed this week. More than 150 Irish researchers are set to benefit from... Read more

Fundraiser to help homeless services

June Shannon | 27 January 2009 | General Practice

Doctors and healthcare professionals are invited to beat the winter and credit-crunch blues while helping to support the development of primary care services for the homeless by attending a special night of comedy in Dublin next month. ‘Comedy CraicDown’ will... Read more

New facility for cellular research

Mary Anne Kenny | 27 January 2009 | Research and Education

Cellular research in Ireland has been given a boost with the opening this week of a Flow Cytometry Facility in Trinity College Dublin’s Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM). The €840,000 facility, located at St James’s Hospital, received an equipment grant... Read more

STATEMENT OF CLARE, NORTH TIPPERARY AND LIMERICK GENERAL PRACTITIONERS re HSE REVIEW OF ACUTE HOSPITAL SERVICES IN HSE MID-WEST

27 January 2009 |

A meeting of general practitioners took place at the Clarion Suites, Ennis Road, Limerick on Tuesday, January 20. The following statement has been issued following that meeting and we run it here in full.... Read more

FDA paves way for embryonic stem cell research

Gary Culliton | 26 January 2009 | Research and Education

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the way for the world's first study of human embryonic stem cell therapy, Geron Corp has said.... Read more

Average of 23 pharmacy visits per year

Gary Culiton | 26 January 2009 | Public Health

The average person visits a pharmacy 23 times per year and the average net profit margin of a community pharmacy is 6%, a new survey indicates. This margin includes profits arising from non-medicine retail activities, such as the sale of... Read more

Women’s Health Council calls for increase in GPs

June Shannon | 26 January 2009 | General Practice

The Women’s Health Council (WHC) has called for the implementation of the Primary Care Strategy ‘as a matter of urgency’ and an increase in the number of GPs practising in Ireland. In its submission to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on... Read more

Six-year wait for patients

Gary Culliton | 26 January 2009 | Health Management

A new report, which will be presented to HSE top management within the next two weeks, will recommend that the number of rheumatology consultant posts should be more than doubled to 53. The report from the HSE’s Working Group on... Read more

Drug giants 'in talks' – report

Gary Culliton | 23 January 2009 | Foreign News

Pfizer, the world's largest drugmaker, may be seeking to buy rival Wyeth in a deal that could be valued at more than $60 billion, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, which said the companies have been in... Read more

Forty on trolleys in Cork

Gary Culliton | 23 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

There were forty patients on trolleys at Cork University Hospital yesterday, according to the Irish Nurses’ Organisation’s Trolleywatch. The number on trolleys in Beaumont hospital in Dublin has fallen from 40 to 31, with ten people in the ‘transition lounge’.... Read more

Jim’ll fix it in pain film

By Mary Anne Kenny | 23 January 2009 | Research and Education

Acclaimed Irish film director Jim Sheridan is backing an initiative calling on neuropathic pain sufferers to tell their stories, so that others affected by the condition feel they do not have to suffer in silence. The Irish Chronic Pain Association... Read more

Week left to seek extension on NCHD working hours

Dara Gantly | 23 January 2009 | Industrial Relations

The Department of Health has just over a week to inform the European Commission of its difficulties in meeting the August deadline of the 48-hour week for NCHDs, Irish Medical Times has learned. EU member states must inform the Commission... Read more

Anu Research Centre gets major cash injection from the Wellcome Trust

Rebecca Kiernan | 23 January 2009 | Research and Education

A cash boost to help develop a blood test identifying pregnancy complications has been welcomed by a research team from University College Cork. The Anu Research Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, received a €800,000 award from the UK-based Wellcome... Read more

Cheap HPV vaccine to be offered to girls in Coolock

June Shannon | 23 January 2009 | Public Health

GlaxoSmithkline has agreed to donate a quantity of HPV vaccine to the Well Woman Clinic, which plans to roll out a limited HPV vaccination scheme at its centre in Coolock in Dublin next month. Announcing the plans as part of... Read more

Target deadline is set for end of consultant appeals

Gary Culliton | 23 January 2009 | Industrial Relations

Arbitrator Mr Tom Mallon SC has set a target date of January 24 for completion of an appeals process for over 90 consultants who are seeking to have their status changed from Category One to Category Two, under the old... Read more

Deadline of sorts for latest acute review

Dara Gantly | 23 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

The long-awaited independent review of acute hospital services in the southern region will be published towards the end of February at the earliest, a senior manager at the Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed. Addressing Regional Health Forum members on... Read more

St Vincent's appeals for help to combat norovirus

Gary Culliton | 23 January 2009 | Public Health

An outbreak of norovirus, commonly referred to as ‘winter vomiting virus’, was last week affecting 50 patients spread over a number of wards at St Vincent’s University Hospital. To help curtail the spread of the virus within the hospital, St... Read more

Presumed consent boosts donor rates

Dara Gantly | 23 January 2009 | Public Health

A system of presumed consent for organ donation can result in a significant increase in donor rates, new research from the British Medical Journal has found. Published a week after the Minister for Health Mary Harney launched a public consultation... Read more

HSE denies evictions in prospect at Bethany House

Gary Culliton | 22 January 2009 | Health Management

The HSE has denied that residents are to be evicted from Bethany House Welfare Home in County Carlow from February 2. It wants to "provide assurances in relation to plans for Bethany House." The HSE is concerned at the impression... Read more

Beaumont 'Transit Lounge' didn't aid waiting times

Gary Culliton | 22 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

The average Emergency Department waiting time at Beaumont hospital, did not improve following the opening of a ‘Transit Lounge’ there, a study published in the Irish Medical Journal shows. The average time that patients requiring emergency admission spent waiting for... Read more

Forty patients on trolleys in Beaumont

Gary Culliton | 22 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

Yesterday there were 40 patients on trolleys in the Emergency Department of Dublin's Beaumont Hospital, and a further ten people in the Admissions Lounge of the hospital. The number of people on trolleys this morning is 19, a spokesperson for... Read more

Savings of €72m on illness payments – Hanafin

Gary Culliton | 22 January 2009 | Health Management

Over €72million in savings were made on illness payments last year, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin T.D., has said. Almost €476 million in Social Welfare payments was saved through fraud control measures in 2008, an increase... Read more

Gene therapy: 'encouraging results for muscular dystrophy'

Gary Culliton | 22 January 2009 | Research and Education

New research published today by NUI Maynooth and the University of Western Australia proves the efficiency of an innovative gene therapy for the treatment of muscular dystrophy and brings a cure closer to reality. There is no cure currently available... Read more

NUI alumni award for medical science goes to Prof Michael O'Brien

June Shannon | 22 January 2009 | Research and Education

The NUI Galway Medtronic Alumni Award for Healthcare and Medical Science has been awarded to Prof Michael O’Brien, Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine and Chief of the Department of Anatomic Pathology at Boston Medical... Read more

Canada warns of Botox health risks

Mary Anne Kenny | 22 January 2009 | Regulation

The labelling information of Botox and Botox Cosmetic in Canada will now include the risk of distant toxin spread, where the toxin spreads to other distant parts of the body. The update comes in light of Health Canada’s recent safety... Read more

UK: 12-year-old girls to get cervical cancer vaccine

Gary Culliton | 21 January 2009 | Foreign News

From next September all girls in the UK aged 12 to 13 (year 8) will be offered a vaccine against the virus that causes cervical cancer. Older girls aged 15 to 18 will also be offered the vaccine over the... Read more

HSE claims ward closure is 'necessary'

Gary Culliton | 21 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

The closure of the 19 bed St. Bridget’s geriatric ward in Waterford's St. Patrick’s Hospital is "necessary," the HSE has said. It is not viable to continue to accommodate patients in the upper floor of St. Patrick’s, nor is it... Read more

PwC chosen for Health Insurance Authority audit

Dara Gantly | 21 January 2009 | Private Healthcare

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has been chosen by the Health Insurance Authority (HIA) to carry out an internal audit review of the Authority and its activities. The HIA received eight tenders to carry out the audit, which is required of all State... Read more

FDA warning on topical anesthetics

Gary Culliton | 21 January 2009 | Public Health

America's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) is issuing an advisory to remind patients, healthcare professionals, and caregivers about potentially serious hazards of using skin numbing products, also known as topical anesthetics, for relieving pain from medical tests and conditions.... Read more

Culture of secrecy still exists in HSE — Lynch

Gary Culliton | 21 January 2009 | Health Management

The fact that the Health Service Executive (HSE) decided to publish the Teamwork report into emergency services in the mid west only after the Labour Party ‘forced their hand’ is an indication of the culture of secrecy that still exists... Read more

New information guide launched for carers of people with dementia

June Shannon | 21 January 2009 | Public Health

Home Instead Senior Care has published a new information guide for carers of people with dementia. The free guide, ‘Helping Families Cope’, covers issues such as communication and activities as well as some of the conditions associated with dementia including... Read more

Cuts in overtime and locums to yield €5m in south east

Dara Gantly | 20 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

Hospitals in the south east hope to achieve savings of more than €5 million this year by targeting overtime, absenteeism and the use of locums. According to new cost containment measures for the South East Hospital Group, reductions in overtime,... Read more

Children's head and neck MRSA rises

Gary Culliton | 20 January 2009 | Public Health

Pediatric head and neck infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have risen alarmingly in recent years, according to an analysis of 300 hospitals nationally in the US. Multidrug resistant strains are also becoming more common, reported Steven E. Sobol, M.D.,... Read more

Safety framework signed by two regulators

Gary Culliton | 20 January 2009 | Regulation

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) and the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) will increase mutual cooperation following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two regulators, it was announced today. The memorandum is intended to provide a framework... Read more

Capitation fee set far closer to IMO claim than HSE demand

Gary Culliton | 20 January 2009 | General Practice

The new capitation fee for GPs treating medical card patients over the age of 70 is far closer to the IMO's demand than to the fee the HSE set out to achieve in the recent Eddie Sullivan process. The HSE... Read more

Beaumont: 37 with winter vomiting bug

Gary Culliton | 20 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

Yesterday there were 37 patients with the symptoms of Winter Vomiting Bug at Dublin's Beaumont hospital. This included 12 new cases compared to the previous day. The symptoms include include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. The outbreak was officially declared two... Read more

Report's unpublished findings get go-ahead

June Shannon | 20 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

The Health Service Executive (HSE) is planning to commence the reconfiguration of maternity services in Dublin in line with the recommendations of a 2007 report by KPMG, despite the fact that the Executive has yet to publish its findings. The... Read more

Ireland’s largest primary care centre opens in Naas

June Shannon | 20 January 2009 | General Practice

The Minister for Health Mary Harney is due to officially open what has been heralded as Ireland’s ‘largest dedicated primary care centre in Ireland’ next month. The €25 million Vista Primary Care Centre in Naas, Co. Kildare will be officially... Read more

Health groups invited to Oireachtas hearings

20 January 2009 | General Practice

A number of health groups and organisations have been invited to come before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health next week to discuss their submissions to the committee’s Report on Primary Medical Care in the Community. According to the Joint... Read more

SwiftCare clinics treat 2,600 over Christmas

20 January 2009 | Private Healthcare

VHI SwiftCare clinics treated over 2,600 patients during the festive season, according to recent figures. A total of 127 patients visited a SwiftCare clinic on Christmas Day, 358 were treated on St Stephen’s Day, 187 on Christmas Eve, 231 on... Read more

HPV vaccine at reduced rate for Coolock

Gary Culliton | 19 January 2009 | Public Health

The Dublin Well Woman Centre has said that it will begin providing the HPV vaccine at its Coolock centre from February. The first two shots of the vaccine Cervarix will be provided free by GlaxoSmithKline which manufactures the drug. The... Read more

INO 'won't enter talks which might reduce nurses' pay'

Gary Culliton | 19 January 2009 | Industrial Relations

Legally, the Government cannot reduce the pay of individual nurses and midwives, the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) has insisted.
 The Union said it would be seeking clarification that reductions in pay would not be on the agenda for meetings between... Read more

Significant cuts in HSE South

Gary Culliton | 16 January 2009 | Health Management

The National Service Plan for HSE South 2009, outlines a number of significant cuts: St Finbarr’s Hospital Campus, Cork City. A temporary reduction in availability of rehabilitation and respite beds will be facilitated by contracting additional 20 nursing home beds.”... Read more

Cavan: 'severe pressures' on Emergency, 45 waiting

Gary Culliton | 16 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

All non essential and elective surgery at Cavan General Hospital, is being reviewed and deferred if necessary in consultation with the Consultants. Management at Cavan confirmed that there are currently severe pressures on the Emergency Department at the hospital. Last... Read more

ENT services 'to move from Mallow to Cork'

Gary Culliton | 16 January 2009 | Health Management

The HSE has announced that ENT services will move from Mallow to Cork as part of the ‘Reconfiguration of Acute Hospital Services HSE South’. The loss of ear, nose & throat services (ENT) at Mallow General Hospital is a significant... Read more

Huge outpatient task for HSE

Gary Culliton | 16 January 2009 | Health Management

The HSE’s 2009 targets to reduce waiting times for outpatients to under eight weeks is ‘hugely ambitious’, according to senior health service executives – given that outpatients currently face waits of up to four years. There are currently over 150,000... Read more

HSE to spend €5.5m on advertising in ‘09

Dara Gantly | 16 January 2009 | Health Management

The Health Service Executive (HSE) envisages spending €577.4 million excluding VAT with outside contractors over the next 12 months, including €28 million on legal services, €22 million on taxi and transport services, €20 million on telecommunications contracts and a further... Read more

Minister to discuss asthma plan in Finland

Dara Gantly | 16 January 2009 | Foreign News

The Minister for Health Mary Harney is scheduled to meet with experts from the National Asthma Programme in Finland this week during an official visit to the country to discuss replicating their innovative model of asthma care in Ireland. Over... Read more

NDHD exodus north will exacerbate problems

Terence Cosgrave | 16 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

Irish hospital doctors will increasingly be travelling north to fill locum positions in Northern Ireland — placing even more pressure on the HSE to compete with the terms and conditions offered by the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). Hospitals in... Read more

TCD researches ADHD kids' genes

By Gary Culliton | 16 January 2009 | Research and Education

Trinity College Dublin research investigating the relationship between genetics and psychology of children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been judged by an international jury of the European Psychiatric Association as the best in Child & Adolescent... Read more

HSE South: Teamwork report due by March

Gary Culliton | 16 January 2009 | Public Health

The Teamwork consultants report on hospital services in the HSE South area of the country will be published in late February or early March, the HSE said today. Commenting on the review of acute hospital services across HSE South, including... Read more

HSE hopes to resume Bantry services

Dara Gantly | 15 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

The Health Service Executive (HSE) hopes to resume the discontinued orthopaedic and urology outreach services at Bantry General Hospital (BGH) early this year. Orthopaedic services were provided at Bantry Hospital on the first Thursday of every second month, with approximately... Read more

Six project management staff let go at Beacon

Gary Culliton | 15 January 2009 | Private Healthcare

There have been six redundancies at Beacon Medical Group (BMG), which has signed project agreements for co-located hospitals at Limerick, Cork and Beaumont in Dublin. Planning permission for a maternity hospital in Dublin’s Sandyford has not been granted. Planning permission... Read more

Campaign against recreational cocaine use deemed a success

Dara Gantly | 15 January 2009 | Public Health

A €636,940 campaign last year aimed at dispelling the myths around cocaine use has been described as a success by the Health Service Executive, with nearly three-quarters of under-35s agreeing that the poster ads would make them think differently about... Read more

Survival of patients discharged to long term care

Gary Culliton | 15 January 2009 | Research and Education

The first data on the life expectancy of elderly people in long term care facilities, has been published in the Irish Medical Journal. This will be important for effective service planning and monitoring quality of care. A random sample of... Read more

Rate of flu highest since 2001

Gary Culliton | 15 January 2009 | Public Health

The rate of flu-like illness is the highest since 2001, and the season is only midway. Dublin’s Wexford Street pharmacy can’t keep shelves stocked with fever remedies and cough drops this week as snuffling customers seek relief. “We’re only seeing... Read more

C Diff superbug linked to 100 deaths here

Gary Culliton | 14 January 2009 | Public Health

Up to 2,500 cases of the lethal superbug Clostridium difficile (C diff) – which probably was associated with over 100 deaths – were reported at Irish hospitals and residential homes last year. Most of the cases of C diff reported... Read more

Mid-west hospitals: next targets?

June Shannon | 14 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

Public patient beds are likely to be cut by 40 per cent, according to health activist Marie O’Connor. In a statement released last week, the member of the Campaign for a Real Public Health Service warned that health analysts ‘say... Read more

UCC President resigns from Board of the HSE

June Shannon | 14 January 2009 | Health Management

The President of UCC Dr Michael Murphy, has resigned from the Board of the HSE citing work pressures. In a short statement to IMT, Dr Murphy said: “Due to work pressures associated with the Office of President of UCC, it... Read more

IFPMA donates $9.2 billion in medical aid

14 January 2009 | Foreign News

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) has donated $9.2 billion worth of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, equipment, other material and labour over the past seven years, to help improve the health of people in low and middle-income countries.... Read more

Hospital documents found dumped in Derry

Gary Culliton | 14 January 2009 | Health Management

Documentation relating to patients at Letterkenny General Hospital has been found in Derry City. It is understood the documents contain the names, dates of birth and condition of 12 patients. Three pages of official hospital papers were discovered last week... Read more

Medical malpractice insurance available

Gary Culliton | 14 January 2009 | Medico-Legal

An American firm is to offer medical malpractice insurance policies here. W.R. Berkley Insurance (Europe) Ltd. has completed the acquisition of Irish Professional Risks Ltd to form W.R. Berkley Insurance Ireland. W.R. Berkley Insurance Ireland will offer a range of... Read more

Teamwork integration backed by College of Surgeons

Gary Culliton | 14 January 2009 | Health Management

The President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Prof. Frank Keane, fully supports the proposals contained in the HSE plans for the integration and reconfiguration of acute hospital services in the Mid-West Region, which have been directed by... Read more

Drogheda: reopened since 9am today

Gary Culliton | 14 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda has confirmed that it is back 'on call' for all referrals since 9am this morning (Wednesday) . Currently there are 6 patients in the Emergency Department awaiting admission. If possible, the public are asked... Read more

Winter vomiting bug in St Vincent's

Gary Culliton | 13 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

An outbreak of Norovirus commonly referred to as ‘Winter Vomiting Virus’ is currently affecting 50 patients spread over a number of wards at St Vincent’s University Hospital. To help curtail the spread of the virus within the hospital, St Vincent’s... Read more

Poison prevention plan needed for older people

Gary Culliton | 13 January 2009 | Research and Education

A study conducted of National Poisons Information Centre data shows that 575 adults over 65 years of age were poisoned during the period 2001–2003. Some 70.3% (404) of poisonings involved pharmaceuticals, 29.0% (167) chemicals, and 0.7% (4) foreign bodies. A... Read more

Health literacy won't wait

Terence Cosgrave | 13 January 2009 | Research and Education

Time is running out for entering the Crystal Clear Health Literacy Awards, which reward doctors and healthcare professionals for making health information easier for patients to understand. Nominations for the six categories of awards (and the overall award) must be... Read more

Cancer screening to be discouraged

June Shannon | 13 January 2009 | Public Health

Opportunistic screening for cervical cancer is not effective and will be discouraged now that the National Cervical Screening Programme is in place, the National Cancer Screening Service (NCCSS) has said. According to the Service’s first annual report (2007/08), “Smear tests... Read more

Plenty of ‘face’ but no breasts on Facebook

Mary Anne Kenny | 13 January 2009 | Public Health

Mothers have launched an online campaign against social networking site Facebook, after the website removed photographs of breastfeeding. The pictures had been reported as ‘obscene’. Facebook’s decision has angered some users and led to the creation last month of the... Read more

New fee of €308.76 for over 70s medical cards

Gary Culliton | 13 January 2009 | General Practice

GPs are this week being notified in writing of a new single capitation fee for over 70s medical cards. The new rate will be €308.76. This follows an agreement between the Government and the IMO to end medical 'gold cards'.... Read more

Flu: meningococcal and pneumococcal link

Gary Culliton | 12 January 2009 | Public Health

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has asked people who have recently recovered from flu and who have become very unwell again with high fever shortly after, to seek medical attention as they may be at slight risk from meningococcal and... Read more

HSE reveals results of mid-west reviews

Gary Culliton | 12 January 2009 | Health Management

The HSE has commissioned a number of reviews in relation to how acute hospital services should be organised including the Teamwork/Howarth Report in relation to the Mid-West: Limerick, Clare and Tipperary North. The reviews conclude that Emergency Department care should... Read more

Six redundancies at Beacon Medical Group

Gary Culliton | 09 January 2009 | Hospital Medicine

There have been six redundancies at Beacon Medical Group, which has signed project agreements for co-located hospitals at Limerick, Cork and Beaumont in Dublin. Planning permission for a maternity hospital in Dublin's Sandyford has not been granted. Planning permission has... Read more

Documents found in Derry City

09 January 2009 | Health Management

Documentation relating to patients at Letterkenny General Hospital has been found in Derry City. It is understood the documents contain the names, dates of birth and condition of 12 patients.... Read more

Increase in cervical cancers likely

Gary Culliton | 09 January 2009 | Public Health

The incidence of cervical cancer in Ireland is expected to increase, as the national cervical screening programme — now available across the country — picks up incidences of the disease that heretofore would not have been identified, according to a... Read more

Study launched into aging and intellectual disability

Gary Culliton | 09 January 2009 | Research and Education

The largest study on ageing in persons with an intellectual disability ever to be undertaken in Ireland was launched recently by the Minister for Equality, Disability and Mental Health, John Moloney. The study will involve approximately 800 persons with intellectual... Read more

More patients enter psychiatric hospitals

June Shannon | 09 January 2009 | Public Health

The number of people admitted to Irish psychiatric hospitals has seen a year-on-year increase for the first time in over a decade, new figures from the Health Research Board (HRB) have revealed. According to the HRB annual report on Activities... Read more

Medical Council advances with move to city centre

Greg Baxter | 09 January 2009 | Regulation

The Medical Council is gearing up to move to Kingram House, its new city-centre headquarters, early this year and is looking for a supplier to furnish the 1,600 square metre office located off Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2. Layout of the... Read more

Pork dioxin meeting opens

08 January 2009 | Public Health

The Oireachtas agriculture committee inquiry into the handling of the pork dioxin crisis opens this morning at Leinster House. The joint Oireachtas committee agreed to suspend all other business to investigate the scare which saw the recall of Irish pork... Read more

Four people in Dublin get rabies vaccine

08 January 2009 | Public Health

Four people had to be given emergency vaccination in a Dublin hospital following a rabies scare in the Republic, it has emerged. The scare was prompted after they were bitten by an illegally imported kitten suspected of having rabies. However,... Read more

Ulster gets two grants for study of Alzheimer's

Alan Deely | 08 January 2009 | Research and Education

Two new research grants made to the University of Ulster are intended to further the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and how it relates to stem-cell depletion and diabetes. The grants, awarded by the UK Alzheimer’s Research Trust (ART), will provide... Read more

Irish men neglect health by missing GP check-ups

June Shannon | 08 January 2009 | General Practice

Almost half a million, or more than 450,000, Irish men have never visited a GP for a general health check-up, according to new research. The research also found that of those who had never attended a GP, approximately 250,000 said... Read more

Teenagers advised to get MMR vaccines

Gary Culliton | 08 January 2009 | Public Health

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has warned that teenagers and young adults should have two doses of MMR vaccine following over 1,000 cases of mumps in 2008. Some 1,166 cases were reported for last year, as of 16 December... Read more

Continued rise in flu cases

Gary Culliton | 07 January 2009 | Public Health

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre today urged people in high-risk categories to get vaccinated against influenza, as the number of reported cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) in Ireland continues to rise. ILI rates have risen from 72.8 per 100,000 in... Read more

Decrease in work-related deaths

Gary Culliton | 07 January 2009 | Public Health

Figures published by the Health and Safety Authority show that there were 57 work-related deaths in 2008. This represents a 15% decrease on the 67 work-related deaths reported in 2007. However, the loss of life in the agriculture sector (21),... Read more

40 new primary centres in 2008

Dara Gantly | 07 January 2009 | General Practice

The Health Service Executive (HSE) expected to approve a total of 40 new primary care centres by the end of 2008 through lease arrangements with third parties. To date, 10 applications have been approved by the Board of the HSE... Read more

IBTS Cork centre finally gets go-ahead

June Shannon | 07 January 2009 | Public Health

The development of a new multi-million-euro centre for the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) in Cork has finally received Government approval. The approval for the centre comes more than ten years after it was first mooted. Welcoming a Government announcement... Read more

Tobacco control efforts rewarded with medals

June Shannon | 07 January 2009 | Public Health

THE Tom Power Medal for commitment to tobacco control was awarded to Valerie Coghlan of ASH Ireland and members of the HSE Dublin-Mid Leinster smoking cessation team. The awards were presented by the Chairperson of the Office of Tobacco Control... Read more

Winter vomiting bug in Galway

Gary Culliton | 06 January 2009 | News

University Hospital Galway has a suspected out break of Norovirus Infection (Winter Vomiting) in St Anthony’s Ward. This ward is now closed to new admissions, and the situation is being monitored on a daily basis. An Outbreak Control Committee has... Read more

HCV patients not getting antivirals

Gary Culliton | 06 January 2009 | Public Health

Relatively few patients who contracted hepatitis C (HCV) through intravenous drug abuse receive effective antiviral therapy, a new study has found. The aim of the study, reported inIrish Medical Journal, was to determine if supervised treatment in a drug treatment... Read more

Obese patients likely to have less education

Gary Culliton | 06 January 2009 | Public Health

Consultant Endocrinologist Dr Donal O’Shea, Director of the Weight Management Clinic at St Columcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown recently spoke on male obesity at a conference on ‘Lifestyle Diseases and their Management in the 21st Century’. The conference was hosted by Vhi... Read more

Workplace schemes help employees to quit

Gary Culliton | 06 January 2009 | Public Health

A follow-up survey for one Irish company has suggested that corporations should not only provide smoking cessation services for employees, but they should also expect results. Up to 70 per cent of ESB employees who attended ‘The Easy Way to... Read more

Shortfall in UK receipts for elderly services

Gary Culliton | 06 January 2009 | Health Management

Minister for Health Mary Harney told the Oireachtas Select Committee on Health last month that there was a €350 million shortfall in receipts from the United Kingdom for health services provided to UK pensioners here under EU regulations. “The UK... Read more

Link between obesity and ovarian cancer

05 January 2009 | Public Health

A link between obesity and ovarian cancer has been highlighted by a study of almost 95,000 women. Researchers in the US found that among women aged 50 to 71 being obese raised the risk of the disease by almost 80%.... Read more