Ireland moves to improve patients’ understanding of health information The term ‘health literacy’ relates to an individual’s ability to read, understand and use health information to make decisions and follow treatment instructions. A 1995 study of 2,600 patients attending two hospitals in the US found that between 26 and 60 per cent of patients could [...]
Doctors can expect further cuts in professional fees next year after the announcement in Budget 2010 that the Government wants to save at least €56 million on payments to professionals. IMO GP Committee Chairman Dr Ronan Boland said the IMO wrote to all GPs about the matter the day after the Budget. However, he added [...]
The IMO fears the prescription charge for medical card patients announced in Budget 2010 will be increased over time and will disproportionately affect the elderly, low-income groups and those suffering from chronic illnesses. IMO GP Committee Chairman Dr Ronan Boland said: “While the size of the charge is initially modest, doctors and patients alike fear [...]
The Budget has cut a bill-ion euro from planned health spending for next year, with the 2010 figure projected at €14.828 billion, or some €1.013 billion below the pre-Budget outlook figure published by the Government on November 12. In the health area, the Budget provision includes €659 million in pay and €400 million in non-pay [...]
The 2010 Budget has been slammed on health grounds, following cuts in excise duty of 12 cent per pint of beer and cider, 14 cent per half glass of spirits and of 60 cent per standard bottle of wine. Alcohol Action Ireland claimed the cuts come at a time when over half of Irish drinkers [...]
The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has criticised the Government for reducing excise duty on all types of alcohol while we continue to have reports of the health and social harms caused by alcohol. Former IMO President Prof Joe Barry said: “Only this week, a report made very strong links between excessive drinking and rape. We [...]
The IHCA was due to meet with Minister for Health Mary Harney on Tuesday (December 15) to ensure that proposed pay cuts to consultants’ salaries were applied ‘on the same basis’ as they will apply to all other comparable public servants. The Budget proposals announced by the Minister for Finance was the main topic discussed [...]
HSE CEO Prof Brendan Drumm has claimed no travel or subsistence expenses as part of his ex-officio membership of the Executive’s Board, Irish Medical Times has learned. Chairman Liam Downey, however, incurred expenses of €19,247 between 2006 and 2009, including €13,926 in reimbursed travel and subsistence and credit card expenses of €5,321. So far this [...]
Despite having a ‘relationship’ with Tiger Woods for some years, Dr Garrett FitzGerald still needs Santa to bring him a new machine to slow down the golfer’s swing to ten million frames per second if he is to learn from the master I have been involved with Tiger for some years now – and I’m [...]
Patient resistance, insufficient time, a lack of funding and training are the main barriers GPs see to counselling patients about their bad habits such as smoking, drinking and being overweight. A new study, published in the journal Family Practice found that the predominately private provision of GP services in Ireland has made changing the focus [...]
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