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Opinion: April 2008

Alcohol addicts

30 April 2008 | Editorial

Terence Cosgrave on why no-one in Ireland is prepared to seriously tackle our problem with alcohol. The American writer P.J. O’Rourke once wrote about the effects of the drug Ecstasy (MDMA): “Maybe Ecstasy is very subtle. I remember thinking that... Read more

The cheque is in the post — it's just not a very big one!

30 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, A few years ago, I was ‘awarded’ a contract to provide services to members of An Post, when their regular GP retired. Initially, I was quite pleased to provide this service to our four local postmen, particularly when... Read more

The 'Crown Affair' continues on Late Late

30 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, I viewed with a mixture of interest and bemusement the performance of Dr John Crown on the Late Late Show last Friday night (18/04/2008). As always when he speaks about the state of the health service, he was... Read more

Honoured by nomination

30 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, In my response to comments from a psychiatric colleague also running under the ‘Other’ category in the Medical Council election: I have the honour to be nominated by distinguished medical specialists in Cardiology, Surgery, Public Health and General... Read more

ICGP email not the most appropriate way to canvass

30 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, I think it most unusual that a member of the ICGP Council should use the email list of the ICGP to canvass support. It is regrettable if there is any misapprehension on the part of the ICGP with... Read more

An overdose of health in newspaper headlines?

Mark Hannon | 30 April 2008 | Mark Hannon

Dr Mark Hannon says constant criticism of the healthcare system for the sake of selling papers does no good, when short-term sacrifices must be made for a better service in the long term. Healthcare related scandals seem to dominate the... Read more

Ross Kemp on the inhumanity of war

Greg Baxter | 29 April 2008 | The Inside Back

Watching Ross Kemp travel to the world’s most violent places and ridicule, through a variety of ways, the suffering of others while glorifying everything white and western, is torture. And I don’t mean the kind of torture which is used... Read more

Tell us the truth about health service plans

Dr Mick Molloy | 29 April 2008 | Mick Molloy

Dr Mick Molloy writes that as the coffers are emptying and public dissatisfaction grows over healthcare services, the country needs firm direction from Government now more than ever,... Read more

Sligo GPs back local cancer service

25 April 2008 | Letters

This letter was sent by the County Sligo General Practitioners Society to the Minister for Health Mary Harney. Re: The National Cancer Strategy Dear Minister, The County Sligo GP Society was founded in 1978 and draws membership from GPs working... Read more

Medical Practitioners Act spurs doctor to become candidate

25 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, I have put forward my name for election to the Medical Council, as I feel that the Medical Practitioners Act (2007) has further marginalised doctors from the treatment of their patients. This is illustrated in a number of... Read more

Saddened by spoiled vote on Medical Council

25 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, I was saddened to read Dr Neil Brennan’s letter to IMT (Letters 18.04.08, www.imt.ie/opinion/2008/04/no_faith_in_system_of_election.html) and his admission that he had spoiled his vote. However, that said, I understand his logic, desperate though I believe his action to have... Read more

Truth is the only cure for health spin exposure

Illona Duffy | 24 April 2008 | Ilona Duffy

Dr Illona Duffy on the need to cure an illness affecting doctors — the deadly 'HSE' or Health Spin Exposure. I’ve been having funny symptoms for a while now — dizziness and a feeling of being an extra in Alice... Read more

Doctor gets caught at the sharp end of travel

Mick Molloy | 23 April 2008 | Mick Molloy

Dr Mick Molloy on how some irrational and contradictory policies applied during airport security checks have taken much of the joy out of travelling. Travelling used to be such fun. Trips in the car, trips by train and, in latter... Read more

HSE is lightning rod for anger over public services

22 April 2008 | Kealan Flynn

Kealan Flynn on how Garret FitzGerald's criticism of Ireland's public administration, and its handling of the health sector, highlights the need for reform of the Health Service Executive. It has come to something when a former Taoiseach publicly derides the... Read more

Galway MSF meeting

17 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is holding an Information Evening in Galway on Wednesday 23rd April at 7.30pm at the Galway One World Centre, Bridge Mills, Dominick Street. We will be very happy to meet you there and tell... Read more

No faith in system of election

17 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, I have just received my ballot paper for the election of doctors to the places allotted for them on the new Medical Council. I am a believer in the democratic process and normally always exercise my right to... Read more

O'Faolain opens new debate

17 April 2008 | Editorial

Terence Cosgrave says that the news that Nuala O'Faolain has terminal cancer has opened up a debate on the issue of euthanasia and the wider issue of a dignified death for people diagnosed with terminal illness. Nuala O’Faolain shot to... Read more

The lost skills and forgotten pleasures of doing it yourself

Mark Hannon | 16 April 2008 | Mark Hannon

A friend recently gave me a satellite navigation system and it really is a most wonderful device. One push of a button, a few seconds of calculations and it tells me exactly what direction to turn and precisely how to... Read more

Reducing budgets by removing the staff

Mick Molloy | 15 April 2008 | Mick Molloy

Dr Mick Molloy on Mercy Hospital's new emergency department, which is still waiting to be utilised, and the farcical situation of having a state-of-the-art facility with no staff and no patients. This week brought the not unforeseen revelation that there... Read more

Angola's Taoiseach

Terence Cosgrave | 12 April 2008 | Editorial

Terence Cosgrave wishes our new Taoiseach well but wonders if he had the 'vision thing' required for the health service. In this week’s British Medical Journal, two articles argue whether or not there are too many female medical graduates. Brian... Read more

Time to seize the opportunity for a proper e-health system

Kealan Flynn | 10 April 2008 | Kealan Flynn

Kealan Flynn writes about the possibility of developing comprehensive electronic health records in the future. Healthcare systems and services across the developed world have had mixed success with the introduction and application of information and communications technology. The landscape is... Read more

Juggling the numbers to meet tough budgets

Mick Molloy | 09 April 2008 | Mick Molloy

Dr Mick Molloy wonders about the fuzzy logic behind HSE budgets and cutbacks and finds similar contradictions in politicians' health policies. At this time of the year, contacts with the HSE increase, for good reasons in some cases but for... Read more

'Don't close our local hospital' — Clare GP

08 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, The ongoing crisis in the Irish Health Service is about to be compounded by Government allowing the HSE to proceed with the closure of acute medical services in our peripheral hospital system. This process is starting in the... Read more

New organisation formed to advance cosmetic medicine

08 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, I would like to inform your readership about the formation of a new organisation which is called ‘The Irish Association of Cosmetic Doctors’. The aim of the association is the advancement of safe and ethical cosmetic medicine, through... Read more

Elections to Council

08 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, I would like to bring to your readers’ attention the fact that the Medical Council Membership Support Committee (MCMSC) is endorsing Dr Sean O Domhnaill and Dr Richardson Assaf in their respective bids to be elected to the... Read more

GP asks for support in campaign for seat on the Medical Council

08 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, I have been asked to stand for election to the Medical Council. I would like to ask you for your vote and support at a time of change for the medical profession. The Medical Practitioners Act 2007 reflects... Read more

Doctors need an alliance with patients

Terence Cosgrave | 04 April 2008 | Editorial

At the third scientific session of the Irish Medical Organisation’s annual general meeting in Killarney last weekend, Dr William Plested (pictured below) gave a fascinating presentation on the US election race and how healthcare issues are impacting on the... Read more

Factual inaccuracies

04 April 2008 | Letters

Dear Sir, I read with both interest and concern the article by Dr Arshad in Irish Medical Times 14 March, on cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition of major importance, particularly as Ireland has the highest incidence of... Read more

HSE funding needed for time-saving treatments

Mick Molloy | 03 April 2008 | Mick Molloy

Dr Mick Molloy on a new procedure for deep venous thrombosis, which could save the health service both time and money if funding was allocated to provide patients with the treatment. We have known about some medical conditions for so... Read more

Cure for the back-at-work blues

02 April 2008 | The Inside Back

You’ve just returned from your Easter holidays. The instantaneous gloom of bleak corridors and fake telephone voices and meetings in which the whole year stretches inconceivably forward feels as heavy as the weight of raw materials that will be melted... Read more

Keeping the pub doors closed on Good Friday

Mark Hannon | 02 April 2008 | Mark Hannon

Dr Mark Hannon on latter-day criticisms of Ireland's Catholic heritage and old ties between Church and State. For the first time since 1940 and the last time until 2160, we recently had the St Patrick’s Day bank holiday weekend and... Read more