Dr Paul Heslin writes on ‘end of life’ or death issues. He is a a medical doctor, a personal and business coach, and a family therapist. Putting the dog down is a common euphemism. Is it kindness or murder? We love our pets. We like our patients. We put our pets down. We keep our [...]
Ian McGuinness writes that the country’s cervical screening programme can finally start, now that the IMO has agreed a contract with the NCSS. After a dispute lasting for most of this year, and following months of talks, GPs are due to begin participating in Ireland’s cervical screening programme in the next few months. Last week, [...]
Kealan Flynn writes that as the era of cutbacks and efficiencies loom, the public sector needs to match the private sector in terms of productivity. However bad things might be looking on the economic front, at least we’re not back to the 1980s. Wherever else we may be headed, it’s definitely not there. Back then, [...]
Dr John Ryan writes that attending another doctor, as a regular patient, is an eye-opening and unnerving experience as he finds that he has to wait his turn to be seen — just like everybody else. I went to the doctor this week. Nothing serious; I just wanted to get a check up as well [...]
Joyce Galbraith writes that the TRILL project — which aims to give elderly people their independence for as long as possible — is a worthy one. People are very divided in their attitude to having regular or annual check-ups. There are the many who feel they would rather take their chances in the health stakes [...]
Ed Madden, BL, looks at a recent decision of the Irish Supreme Court in which the Court declared a section of the Mental Health Act, 1945 to be unconstitutional. Louis Blehein was involuntarily admitted to St. John of God Hospital Stillorgan in Dublin on three occasions: from 25 February 1984 to 16 May 1984; from [...]
Should I join Facebook? I Googled an old acquaintance the other day, a very good-looking old acquaintance. It had been five years since we last talked, and something in the news made me think of her, ie., a perfect opportunity to check in. A more experienced internet user could probably have found out where she [...]
Aisling Gannon, Partner and Head of Healthcare with Beauchamps Solicitors, writes that issues of consent can be complex — as was the case recently when a patient refused a blood transfusion. The essential basis of the consent process is that the patient consents voluntarily and that consent is based on sufficient relevant information. Where relevant, [...]
Terence Cosgrave tries to make sense of the topsy-turvy world of health insurance in Ireland and writes that the Government will now have to devise a system which not only is fair, but which also encourages real competition. If, like me, you sometimes feel that the Irish health system has a certain Alice’s Adventures in [...]
Dr Garrett FitzGerald writes that whatever about A and B, it’s now time for Plan C, Plan D or maybe even Plan E for A&E access. The last time the country was banjaxed, the Government of the day had little choice but to abandon many of its citizens. The young people emigrated and the old [...]
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