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Opinion: August 2007

Long walk off a short plank

31 August 2007 | Editorial

News editor Glenn Taylor believes that the resignation of Labour leader Pat Rabbitte sees the loss of one of the most vocal opponents to the privatisation of Irish healthcare Pat Rabbitte’s decision to stand down as leader of the Labour... Read more

Beaumont Hospital statement on planning

Mr Liam Duffy, Chief Executive, Beamont Hospital, Dublin 9 | 31 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, Beaumont Hospital wishes to clarify the position in respect of a planning application made by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland for permission to expand its Education and Research Centre on the hospital’s campus. The Hospital lodged... Read more

Questions remain on out-of-hours arrangements for GP patients

Dr John Brangan, Salem Medical Centre, Wicklow Town, Co Wicklow | 31 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, I read with interest Greg Baxter’s article regarding the new Naas primary care centre – the first of five or six such centres which as reported will provide 8 am-10 pm Monday-Saturday primary care. I note that in... Read more

Debate over pulsed dye lasers continues

Dr David Buckley, MRCGP, DP Dermatology, Solas Dermatology and Laser Clinic, The Ashe Street Clinic, Tralee, Co Kerry | 31 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, I am writing in response to Dr Murphy/Bourke/Lyons’ letter to the Irish Medical Times (29 June 2007) which questioned the effectiveness of pulsed dye lasers on the treatment of active acne. Pulsed dye lasers have been shown to... Read more

Mandatory cancer reporting welcome

Dr Elizabeth Cullen, Secretary, Irish Doctors’ Environmental Association, Thomastown, Kilcullen, Co Kildare | 31 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, We welcome the initiative to have reporting of cancer mandatory and would also welcome the establishment of similar registers of asthma, diabetes and other chronic diseases. These registers could include data relating to the nature and duration of... Read more

College anaesthetists' annual golf outing

Dr John McAdoo, President, College of Anesthetists, Dublin | 31 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Doctors, I am writing to remind you of the College of Anaesthetist’s annual golf outing on Thursday, 6 September, 2007. All monies raised from this Golf Classic will be used to support and develop anaesthesia services in Malawi. Malawi... Read more

Cancer survival poem

R Rudkin, Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK | 17 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, I enclose a poem I have written based on a very recent experience I had. I wonder can it really be, That after all this chemotherapy And then the radiography, That now there’s nothing wrong with me? That... Read more

Pioneering group finds laser treatment of acne gives effective results

Tony Chu, FRCP, Head of Dermatology for the Hammersmith Hospitals Trust, London President of the Acne Support Group | 17 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, I feel compelled to write as I am both surprised and disappointed to read the comments of Drs Murphy, Bourke and Lyons in their letter to Irish Medical Times (29/06/2007) concerning the use of the NLite laser in... Read more

The train of co-location is now in commotion

Kealan Flynn | 17 August 2007 | Kealan Flynn

The objections are to co-location are both philosophic and pragmatic. There is a fear that because the new clinics will be expected to make a profit (or at least to avoid incurring a loss), that quality will inevitably be compromised,... Read more

From frying pan to fire: misusers and refusers

Dr Mark Hannon | 17 August 2007 | Mark Hannon

Although I have been qualified and practising medicine for only three years, the speed with which new medications are being devised and patented never ceases to amaze me. This year alone, numerous new and innovative treatments for type 2 diabetes... Read more

Not up to standard but not maintained either

Dr Mick Molloy | 17 August 2007 | Mick Molloy

Hospital residences are the focus of many a rant. The rant often has, as its focus, the standard of decor; the furniture; the availability or not of a TV for those long weekends on-call; the availability of food or somewhere... Read more

Why we need a strong Minister for Older People

Paul Murray | 17 August 2007 | Guests

Máire Hoctor, the newly appointed Minister for Older People, has one good thing going for her. She has no hard act to follow. None of the last three incumbents made any indent on their portfolios. Respectively they were ineffectual, appalling... Read more

Violence breeds violence whatever shape it takes

Dr M. Akmal Makhdum & Akhtar Ali Syed | 17 August 2007 | Guests

Britain is seeing some interesting and dangerous developments in the advent of terrorism. Seven suspects, at least five of them doctors, have been arrested for involvement in the recent botched terrorist attacks on London and Glasgow. This time terrorism took... Read more

Goodbye to all that...

Colin Kerr | 17 August 2007 | Editorial

Irish Medical Times Editor Colin Kerr is leaving the paper after eight years. He says its future is in good hands and IMT will continue to uphold its commitment to be the independent paper for Irish doctors, without fear or... Read more

Doctors in the House

Colin Kerr | 10 August 2007 | Editorial

Colin Kerr applauds Dr Hillery and Dr Gueret's performances in the Seanad election and stresses the need for an independent doctors’ representative in the Seanad Congratulations are due to Dr Maurice Gueret and Dr John Hillery for their performances in... Read more

Correlation between alcohol and suicide

Deputy Dan Neville, Fine Gael Deputy Health Spokesman, Leinster House, Dublin 2 | 10 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, During the 1990s Ireland experienced a 41 per cent increase in alcohol consumption and suicide rates increased by 44 per cent, showing an almost 100 per cent correlation. A study into unnatural deaths in 2001 and 2002 in... Read more

The lost art of a simple way of communicating

Dr Mick Molloy | 10 August 2007 | Mick Molloy

Depending on the number of people in the catchment area of any emergency department, atypical presentations for drug reactions may not be a frequent occurrence. Doctors in emergency departments are more used to seeing these presentations than a GP, but... Read more

Call for defibrillators in health clubs and gyms

Deputy Mary Upton, Labour Party TD for Dublin South Central, Leinster House, Dublin 2 | 10 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, Reports this week that the GAA is to enter an arrangement to provide 125 defibrillators in clubs around the country, is to be warmly welcomed. This news should provide encouragement to local authorities and to gyms to do... Read more

Precautionary measures for true emergencies only

Jack Flanagan, Sutton, Co Dublin | 10 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, I write to agree with Dr Mick Molloy whose article appeared in Irish Medical Times on 27 July on the importance of precautionary demonstrations to ensure that emergency plans will work in hospitals. Dr Molloy refers to the... Read more

Learning from our peers

Dr Dermot Walsh | 10 August 2007 | Guests

Psychiatry has often been referred to as the Cinderella of the health service and as far as funding is concerned that is certainly true, particularly when considered in the light of the contribution of mental ill-health to morbidity. And yet... Read more

Summer time and the living becomes easier

Dr Mark Hannon | 10 August 2007 | Mark Hannon

These are the days that all doctors look forward to– the long, bright days of summer. Many consultants are on holidays, as are many patients, leading to reduced waiting times in outpatient departments and the emergency department. Many of the... Read more

Do not diminish the consequences

Dr Fabian Akamnonu, 9 Ballycasey Park, Shannon, Co Clare | 03 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, Just a comment on Sandra Ryan’s ‘Everything you wanted to know about…’ series, the one on cervical cancer (Irish Medical Times, 8 June 2007), especially with regard to the new vaccines for cervical cancer. Prof Walter Prendiville was... Read more

Government must act on fertility treatment

Liz McManus TD, Labour spokesperson on health, Leinster House, Dublin 2 | 03 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, The Government must take action to regulate fertility treatment following the findings of an independent inquiry into the death of Jacqueline Rushton after complications during treatment. It is important that the recommendations of the inquiry be published and... Read more

Rate hike approval shows obvious lack of concern

Brian Hayes TD, Fine Gael Health Spokesperson, Leinster House, Dublin 2 | 03 August 2007 | Letters

Dear Editor, The Health Minister’s decision to approve an 8.5 per cent hike in Vhi costs was bad news for subscribers who had already seen their premiums increase by 25 per cent in the last two years. In accepting the... Read more

Climate change in Irish medicine

Dr Mick Molloy | 03 August 2007 | Mick Molloy

The first part of the private medical meltdown would seem to be on the cards at present. Vhi Healthcare has apparently asked the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, to approve an 8.5 per cent hike in rates. This is not... Read more

Responsible drinking

Colin Kerr | 03 August 2007 | Editorial

IMT Editor Colin Kerr says the time has come to tackle alcohol abuse, particularly after revelations that most Irish people don't know how much alcohol consumption constitutes binge drinking Ireland has a drink problem. Irish adults drink too much and... Read more