New HIQA guidelines on costing healthcare treatments and budget impact analysis clarify HIQA’s role in relation to drug rationing, writes Gary Culliton The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has said it does not have any function in relation to rationing drugs. “For new drugs, a system of external reference pricing is used by the [...]
Threat or opportunity – deregulation of the GMS
Aoife Connors hears the reactions of GPs — both positive and negative — to the Government’s commitment to opening up the GMS The Government’s four-year economic recovery plan published last week includes the commitment that “all restrictions on appropriately-trained GPs who wish to hold GMS contracts will be abolished”. The one-line statement brings a hugely [...]
GPs hold on to the dream
Is the prospect of a primary care-led health service in Ireland now more dream than reality, asks Aoife Connors So is a primary care-led health service a dream or reality? This was the question addressed recently by Dr Margaret O’Riordan, ICGP Programme Director of GP Training, at a recent conference and Irish Medical Times put [...]
Stroke programme nears completion
To mark the RCPI’s recent stroke debate, the HSE’s Joint Clinical Leads described the approach the national stroke programme will take when launched in the New Year. Gary Culliton reports Just over half of the country’s hospitals currently have a stroke unit, according to a survey conducted in June of this year. These 17 hospitals [...]
HSE West requires €10 million in cuts monthly
Despite slashing its projected year-end deficit by €90 million in just six months, the HSE West still needs to cut costs, writes Gary Culliton The HSE West region has indicated that it has reduced its projected year-end deficit from €130 million at the end of March to €40 million at the end of September. To [...]
GPs in the west invest
Proximity to a major hospital appears to impact on the investment a GP is likely to make in medical equipment, according to a survey carried out by University College Cork, Aoife Connors reports General practices in the HSE West region are more likely to invest in medical equipment than similar practices located in the HSE [...]