Tagcloud

abortion, abuse, acute care, addiction, administration, alcohol, alternative medicine, arthritis, autoimmune disorders, blood, breast cancer, Brendan Drumm, cancer, capacity, cardiovascular disease, casemix, CervicalCheck, charity, children, clinical directors, clinical indemnity scheme, co-location, co-ops, community care, competence assurance, Competition Authority, complaints, consultants, cosmetic surgery, costs, cross-border, cutbacks, cystic fibrosis, Department of Health, diabetes, diagnostics, disability, Down's syndrome, drugs, e-health, education, elderly, emergency medicine, epilepsy, equity, ESRI, ethics, EWTD, fertility, Fitness to Practice, fractures, funding, General Election, genetics, GP Survey, GPs, Hanly report, HIQA, HIV, HPSC, HRB, hse, HSE, human tissue, hygiene, hypertension, IBTS, ICGP, IHCA, IMB, immunity, IMO, imo, industrial action, influenza, INO, insurance, Irish Healthcare Awards, IT, locums, LRC, lung disease, maternity, MAUs, media, medical cards, Medical Council, medical school, medico-legal, men's health, mental health, migraine, MRSA, NCHDs, needle-stick injury, neurology, NHS, Non-EU doctors, North East, NTPF, nurses, nursing home, nutrition, obesity, obstetrics, Ombudsman, out-of-hours, palliative care, pandemic, patient records, PCRS (GMS), pharmaceuticals, pharmacy, politics, practice management, pregnancy, prescribing, primary care, privatisation, quality, radiology, radiotherapy, RCPI, RCSI, reconfiguration, recruitment, regional hospitals, renal, research, savings, screening, sexual assault, sexual health, smoking, sports medicine, stem cells, stroke, suicide, surgery, transplants, transport, tuberculosis, vaccine, Vhi, waiting lists, WHO, women's health, work-life balance

News: January 2010

Co-op to challenge tax ruling

Niamh Mullen | 28 January 2010 | General Practice

A GP co-op has decided to challenge the Appeals Commissioners’ decision that it must deduct PAYE from doctors providing out-of-hours cover. MIDOC will contest the ruling — which was made by the Revenue Commissioners and upheld by the Appeals Commissioners... Read more

Automatic medical cards for dying patients

Niamh Mullen | 28 January 2010 | Public Health

A leading consultant in palliative medicine believes patients expected to live for six months or less should be entitled to a medical card. In a personal submission to the Expert Group on Resource Allocation in the Health Sector, Dr Liam... Read more

Hospital budgets to be hit through HealthStat — HSE

Dara Gantly | 28 January 2010 | Health Management

The HSE intends to use its performance information and improvement system, HealthStat, to sanction poorly performing hospitals and reward any well functioning facilities, Irish Medical Times has learned. HSE CEO Prof Brendan Drumm has requested that a form of incentive... Read more

NCHD case is settled

Dara Gantly | 28 January 2010 | Industrial Relations

The IMO and the HSE have settled the long-running legal action initiated by the doctors’ union over implementation of a Labour Court recommendation and compliance with the European Working Time Directive (EWTD). The deal will see a new NCHD contract... Read more

7 in 10 women tried to lose weight in 2009

Niamh Mullen | 28 January 2010 | Research and Education

Many men and most women have attempted to lose weight over the past 12 months, a survey from the Nutrition and Health Foundation (NHF) has found. While 69 per cent of women and 49 per cent of men tried to... Read more

Doctors notified over suspension of Reductil

Dara Gantly | 27 January 2010 | Regulation

Abbott Laboratories Ireland has issued an important safety information notice to doctors on the suspension of marketing authorisations for sibutramine (Reductil), due to increased cardiovascular risk observed in the SCOUT trial. The notice from Abbott’s Medical Director Dr Michelle Costello-Smith... Read more

Work to rule begins in health sector

Gary Culliton | 27 January 2010 | Industrial Relations

Industrial action in the health sector and across the public service began on Monday. The initial phase of the action comprises a work-to-rule. IMPACT, the INMA, CPSU and SIPTU all served notice of industrial action as part of ICTU’s Public... Read more

Consultants' group gets new independent Chair

Gary Culliton | 27 January 2010 | Health Management

Mr Eugene Murray, Chief Executive of the Irish Hospice Foundation, has been appointed as Chair of the Consultant Applications Advisory Committee (CAAC) in place of Seán McGrath, National Director, HSE Human Resources. The group has met twice and is due... Read more

Neurologist slams €6m overseas spend on DBS

Gary Culliton | 27 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

The HSE has funded 151 people to travel outside the State to be assessed for a €35,000 procedure, despite the fact that it is available here in Ireland. More than 30 patients per year continue to travel overseas for the... Read more

Threefold increase in people over 75 by 2041

Gary Culliton | 26 January 2010 | Research and Education

The number of people aged 75+ in Ireland is projected to reach almost one million by 2041, three times the number living now, a new report by the Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (CARDI) shows. Even more... Read more

First female Dean of Medicine appointed

Gary Culliton | 26 January 2010 | Research and Education

The RCSI has appointed the country’s first female Dean of Medicine, some 125 years after the College registered the first ever female medical student in Britain or Ireland. Prof Hannah McGee has taken up the position of the new Dean... Read more

Complications up from weight-loss surgery

Niamh Mullen | 26 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

A leading Irish obesity clinic is seeing an increasing number of patients who have had ‘quick-fix’ weight-loss surgery performed elsewhere and end up suffering complications. Consultant Endocrinologist Dr Donal O’Shea of St Columcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown told Irish Medical Times... Read more

RCSI marks 200 years on St Stephen's Green

Niamh Mullen | 26 January 2010 | Research and Education

The Royal College of Surgeons kicked off its 200th birthday celebrations on St Stephen’s Green with a reception for staff, student representatives and businesses last week. President of the RCSI, Prof Frank Keane, said: “For over 200 years, the RCSI... Read more

Drogheda needs 'urgent attention'

Niamh Mullen | 25 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

No hospital achieved a performance rating of ‘very good’ in the latest HSE HealthStat report. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda was the only hospital to get a rating of ‘unsatisfactory, requiring urgent attention’.... Read more

Zygomatic implants introduced to Ireland

Gary Culliton | 25 January 2010 | News

A surgical team at Blackrock Clinic has provided Ireland’s first course on Zygomatic dental implants in maxillary reconstruction using computer-guided planning software. The course was a collaborative undertaking with surgeons from Blackrock Clinic, St James’s Hospital, the Dublin Dental School... Read more

Bioethics closure criticised

25 January 2010 | Research and Education

The Irish Stem Cell Foundation has strongly criticised a move to close the Irish Council for Bioethics. In a letter to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Foundation said it opposed a decision by the Department to terminate... Read more

IMB recalls weight-loss drug Reductil

Dara Gantly | 22 January 2010 | Regulation

The Irish Medicines Board has recalled all batches of Reductil 10mg capsules and Reductil 15mg capsules with immediate effect following new health warnings. Doctors have been immediately requested to cease writing prescriptions for all weight-loss products containing sibutramine, the active... Read more

IMO seeks 'yes' vote to deal

Dara Gantly | 22 January 2010 | Industrial Relations

The IMO is recommending its members give a ‘yes’ vote in the ballot on the Labour Court recommendation on a new NCHD contract. Doctors have until next Friday, January 29 to return their ballots to IMO House on the proposed... Read more

System is 'a scandal'

Niamh Mullen | 22 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

Resource allocation in the health service is dysfunctional, according the former director of the Adelaide Society and lecturer in public health at Trinity College. Dr Fergus O’Ferrall said: “Our two-tier health system is a scandal and has led to many... Read more

Unnecessary referrals stretch services

Niamh Mullen | 21 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

Children with an egg allergy are being referred to hospital for the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine unnecessarily and are placing an extra burden on services, according to a study carried out in Cork. The research, published in the... Read more

Connolly has half of urgent colonoscopies

Dara Gantly | 21 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

Almost half of those waiting more than four weeks for urgent colonoscopies are on a waiting list at Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown. According to the latest HSE figures, 8.3 per cent of those on the referral list for an urgent... Read more

State set to pay negligence claims of €70m in 2010

Gary Culliton | 20 January 2010 | Health Management

The State’s Clinical Indemnity Scheme (CIS), which deals with claims for medical negligence from patients, is projecting payouts totalling €70 million this year, up from 2009’s €48 million payout figure, IMT has learned. “A series of cerebral palsy cases are... Read more

New H1N1 wave expected - CMO

Staff reporter | 20 January 2010 | Public Health

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at the Department of Health has slammed a ‘complacency’ factor that has led to only half of those offered the swine flu vaccine through schools taking up the offer. Dr Tony Holohan told IMT: “I’d... Read more

Harney would consider HPV vaccine for boys

Niamh Mullen | 19 January 2010 | Public Health

Health Minister Mary Harney has said she would consider introducing the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) for boys in the future but they were not the priority group. Minister Harney said she discussed immunising males with the co-creator of the vaccine,... Read more

Keane in 'dialogue' over HSE CEO post

Gary Culliton | 19 January 2010 | Health Management

The outgoing Director of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) Prof Tom Keane has confirmed that he has held discussions in relation to the position of Chief Executive of the HSE. Prof Keane said he had not yet made any... Read more

UCC policy targets student mental health

Niamh Mullen | 19 January 2010 | Research and Education

University College Cork (UCC) has published a student mental health policy and has stated its commitment to supporting all of its students during periods of distress. Vice President for the student experience, Con O’Brien, said that university life was a... Read more

IMO appoints new IR Director

Dara Gantly | 19 January 2010 | Industrial Relations

The IMO has appointed Ian McGowan Smyth as its new Director of Industrial Relations. Smyth, who joined the doctors’ union this month, takes over from Finbarr Murphy, who has left to become the new Chief Executive of Veterinary Ireland —... Read more

Soy product withdrawn over thyroid risk

Niamh Mullen | 18 January 2010 | Public Health

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has issued advice to doctors following the withdrawal of a soy milk product from the Irish market by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). BonSoy has been withdrawn following the detection that it... Read more

Safety concerns expressed over smoked flavourings

Mary Anne Kenny | 18 January 2010 | Public Health

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has expressed concern over certain ‘smoke flavourings’ in foodstuffs, in its first-ever review of these products. Out of the 11 smoke flavourings evaluated, experts found that the margins of safety for two of the... Read more

Irish surgeon to head Pancreatic Society

Dara Gantly | 18 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

Consultant surgeon and new CEO of Tallaght Hospital, Prof Kevin Conlon, has been elected as the new president of the Pancreatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland (PSGBI). Prof Conlon — who has taken over as CEO of the hospital... Read more

Casemix is 'inappropriate'

Niamh Mullen | 15 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

The organisation representing medical practitioners involved in intensive care medicine has criticised the HSE’s use of the casemix system. It described its use for calculating resource allocation for the care of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) as ‘inappropriate’. The... Read more

Winter vomiting bug suspected in Portloaise hospital and Athlone care centre

Niamh Mullen | 15 January 2010 | News

People are being asked not to visit the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise or St Vincent’s Care Centre in Athlone following an outbreak of winter vomiting bug. The HSE said there were a number of suspected cases of norovirus at... Read more

Harney wants extra €75m from health insurers

Gary Culliton | 15 January 2010 | Private Healthcare

The Minister for Health has demanded that public hospitals collect an additional E75 million from private health insurers in 2010, Irish Medical Times has learned. The new target was set out in a letter sent recently by Minister Mary Harney... Read more

CUMH and Great Ormond Street to share care of newborn conjoined twins

Gary Culliton | 15 January 2010 | News

Conjoined twins, whose care is shared between Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust (GOSH) in London, were born six weeks ago today (January 15) at University College Hospital (UCH) in London. A... Read more

Explicit warnings on alcohol

Dara Gantly | 15 January 2010 | Public Health

The Government has been urged to introduce explicit health warnings on alcohol products, including a French-style logo warning of the dangers of drinking during pregnancy. The call came in a series of submissions to the Department of Health as part... Read more

Department cuts its staff by almost 8%

Dara Gantly | 14 January 2010 | Health Management

The number of staff employed by the Department of Health reduced by nearly 8 per cent last year — just short of the 10 per cent reduction recommended by An Bord Snip Nua. At the start of 2009, there were... Read more

Salary of new CEO expected to be cut

Gary Culliton | 14 January 2010 | Health Management

The incoming HSE Chief Executive is likely to be paid significantly less than the current post holder Prof Brendan Drumm, mostly likely around the E250,000 mark, sources within the Executive have revealed. A rate of E370,000 a year was agreed... Read more

Fundamental flaws in Casemix system — IAEM

Niamh Mullen | 14 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

The Irish Association for Emergency Medicine (IAEM) has strongly criticised the current system of hospital budgeting, describing it as being neither clear nor transparent. In a submission to the Expert Group on Resource Allocation and Funding in the Health Sector,... Read more

MSF rushing staff and facilities to devastated Haiti

Staff reporter | 13 January 2010 | News

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is sending a 100-bed hospital, with an inflatable surgical unit, consisting of two operating theaters and seven hospitalisation tents, to Haiti following the devastating earthquake there. MSF is already treating hundreds of people injured... Read more

HSE issues advice following water supply disruption

Gary Culliton | 13 January 2010 | Public Health

The HSE has issued advice to householders, schools, childcare facilities and catering businesses following disruption to water supplies in certain parts of the country. A statement, below, from the HSE outlines how to prepare and use water if you are... Read more

Co-located hospital meets tax incentive deadline

Dara Gantly | 13 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

The developer behind the proposed co-located hospital at St James’s Hospital finally submitted additional information sought by Dublin City Council (DCC) on 21 December, thus making sure it will be eligible for lucrative tax breaks for private hospitals. Last year’s... Read more

Sprains and fractures up during big freeze

Gary Culliton | 13 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

Emergency departments (EDs) around the country have been busier than usual during the start of 2010, much of which can be attributed to the recent cold snap and the increased number of people presenting with sprains and fractures as a... Read more

Eight-month delay for medical cards

Niamh Mullen | 13 January 2010 | General Practice

Delays of up to eight months to have a medical card application processed have been reported in parts of Dublin where the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) is centralised. GP Dr Ray Walley, who practises in the north inner city... Read more

HSE urges vigilance on swine flu

Gary Culliton | 13 January 2010 | Public Health

The HSE is urging everyone in the at-risk groups to get vaccinated against a possible second wave of the swine flu virus, despite a sharp decrease in the rates of the disease to levels below the season flu threshold. The... Read more

Re-checks are to be introduced for HPAT

Niamh Mullen | 12 January 2010 | Research and Education

Aspiring medical students sitting the Health Professional Admissions Test, or HPAT, next month will be able to request a re-check of their answer sheet following the publication of results in the summer. The measure is being introduced this year for... Read more

St Vincent's Hospital staff are struck down by vomiting bug

Mary Anne Kenny | 12 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

St Vincent’s University Hospital has imposed visitor restrictions due to an outbreak of norovirus among patients and staff. As of early this week, 27 patients were affected by the winter vomiting bug, spread over 14 of the hospital’s 18 wards.... Read more

Blood donors answer Ireland’s call

Niamh Mullen | 12 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

Elective surgeries are no longer at risk of cancellation after almost 1,000 people gave blood last weekend. The Irish Blood Transfusion Service had warned stocks were low due to the bad weather. In order to increase stocks, it set up... Read more

RCSI assets hit by recession

Niamh Mullen | 11 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

The RCSI has not been immune to the recession and saw net assets decrease by almost a half in 2008. The decrease in net assets from €162 million in 2007 to €90 million in 2008 was mainly due to a... Read more

Teenagers should be able to get contraception from GPs

Gary Culliton | 11 January 2010 | General Practice

The Law Reform Commiss-ion has proposed that 16- and 17-year-olds should be able to consent to and refuse medical treatment, including surgery and contraception. While 14- to 15-year-olds should be able to consent to and refuse medical treatment, this should... Read more

IBTS agrees to plasma sale

Dara Gantly | 08 January 2010 | Health Management

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) has agreed to sell a component of donors’ blood to commercial firms for the first time, in a move described by its Medical and Scientific Director as a ‘sea change’ for the Service. Dr... Read more

A Keane interest

Gary Culliton | 08 January 2010 | Health Management

Cancer Czar Prof Tom Keane – who remained in Ireland over Christmas – is understood to be considering applying for the job of HSE Chief Executive and has just days to decide whether to throw his hat into the ring.... Read more

Health insurance scheme mooted

Niamh Mullen | 08 January 2010 | Health Management

Funding for the health service should be based on need rather than ability to pay, the HSE has said in a submission to the Department of Health on the allocation of resources in the health sector. The Executive believes a... Read more

Overcrowded emergency departments 'inundated' with patients slipping on ice

Greg Baxter | 07 January 2010 | Hospital Medicine

The Irish Association of Emergency Medicine has reported that Ireland's emergency departments (EDs) have been inundated with large numbers of patients sustaining injuries after falling or slipping on snow and ice over the last three weeks. These injuries are mainly... Read more

D-day looms on NCHD working hours

Dara Gantly | 07 January 2010 | Industrial Relations

The Government and the HSE will be engaged in a legal battle over the implementation of the 48-hour week for NCHDs on two fronts later this month, in the High Court and in Brussels. The Executive is due back in... Read more

IHCA to meet over pay cuts

Gary Culliton | 07 January 2010 | Industrial Relations

The IHCA’s National Council is to meet next week to review options in the wake of pay cuts announced in December’s Budget. While a definite course of action will be decided at the meeting on January 16, one likely possibility... Read more

Submissions sought on cancer screening

Niamh Mullen | 06 January 2010 | Public Health

The National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) is seeking submissions from health professionals with ideas to promote screening among hard-to-reach populations. “The purpose of the consultation is to seek community network input on special initiatives for BreastCheck, CervicalCheck and any future... Read more

Indian ink for HSE diaries

Gary Culliton | 06 January 2010 | Health Management

The health service Executive (HSE) has said that it could not prevent its 2010 diary from being printed in India, as has been reported. Under the terms of the EU tender process, the HSE can and does specify the quality... Read more

Work still to do on advertising - ICGP

Niamh Mullen | 06 January 2010 | General Practice

The ICGP has expressed some reservation about GPs advertising their prices, following the relaxation of restrictions by the Medical Council. “The question of pricing is not a matter for the ICGP, but the manner in which such is promoted or... Read more

Post to link primary and secondary care

Niamh Mullen | 05 January 2010 | General Practice

The ICGP believes a new GMS contract is urgently needed, because the current one does not encourage or support disease prevention and health promotion activities. In a submission to the Department of Health on Resource Allocation and Funding in the... Read more

HIQA petitioned over homes

Gary Culliton | 05 January 2010 | Regulation

Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) has sought a meeting with the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) in relation to the material which can be included in inspection reports. This follows allegations of ‘misleading and unfair’ treatment in regard to one... Read more

Drugs survey to measure alcohol use

Dara Gantly | 05 January 2010 | Research and Education

A follow-up survey on drug use in Ireland will include for the first time specific data on alcohol misuse. The National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) intends to commission shortly a repeat of the 2006/2007 Drug Prevalence Survey, but with... Read more