February 4, 2012

Health plans in a chronic state

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Are the long-promised plans to move towards chronic disease management in primary care in a chronic condition, asks Dara Gantly.

From Drogheda to Libya

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While Dr Ruairi Hanley wishes former Drogheda consultant ophthalmologist Dr Fatima Hamroush every success in her new role in the Libyan government, he laments the waiting lists that remain in the North East.

How the dead hand of bureaucracy blocks our whistleblowers

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Dr Muiris Houston believes the recent treatment of Grangegorman whistleblower Louise Bayliss shows how difficult it can be for patient advocates.

In defence of ‘moral exemplar’ on Bahrain

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Dear Editor, It is with some sadness that I comment on two recent letters in Irish Medical Times regarding the tragic situation in Bahrain (IMT, January 13, 2012, http://bit.ly/wKawzG). I believe your readership deserves to know a little more about the authors of same.

‘Unwarranted attack’ on medical staff

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Ed Madden, BL, looks at a case in which the judge found that a claim brought by a patient amounted to an unjustified and unwarranted attack on the staff of Mercy Hospital.

The panel removals amount to another 8% cut in my pay

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Dear Editor, I am writing to highlight the amount of medical card patients lost to my panel since November last year. At least 50 patients have been removed as a result of their medical cards not being renewed.

The ED fee must be lowered to mirror an out-of-hours charge

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Open Letter to Minister Róisín Shortall, Minister of State, Department of Health A Aire, There is €120 charge for a private patient presenting to an emergency department (ED) without a GP letter; a medical card patient is seen at no charge.

The consequences of more intensive use of Ireland’s hospital beds

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Dear Editor, In my letter previous to Irish Medical Times (December 2, 2011, http://bit.ly/suuWMa), I said that the effect of the ‘money follows the patient’ initiative leading to a more intensive use of hospital beds would result in cost increases. This is because, by implication, additional resources — especially human resources — would be required [...]

The debate continues on assisted suicide

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Sharon O’Connor of Beauchamps Solicitors looks at the recommendations made by the UK’s Commission on Assisted Dying with regard to the issue of assisted suicide.

Never too late to say ‘I don’t’

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With news of a 99-year-old Italian filing for divorce, Dr Muiris Houston wonders why couples in their later years are increasingly calling it a day.

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