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Opinion: November 2008

First World War buffs — take rote

Dr Mark Hannon | 30 November 2008 | Mark Hannon

Dr Mark Hannon writes that while it is easier to focus on methods of education such as problem-based learning, some things just have to be learned by heart. Just a couple of weeks ago, the 90th anniversary of the end... Read more

Early HIV drug treatment cuts babies' risk of death

Alan Deeley | 29 November 2008 | Guests

Alan Deeley writes about new research that concludes that rapid drug treatment of babies with HIV dramatically cuts their risk of death. Compelling new research from South Africa advocates the administration of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to HIV-positive children as soon... Read more

Concession to older doctors was illegal

Ed Madden | 29 November 2008 | Guests

Ed Madden, BL, on a recent case in which the British Medical Association challenged a decision to abolish a concession to doctors aged 65 and over. On 30 January 2008, Dr David Farrer-Brown, a registered medical practitioner, wrote to the... Read more

Getting more from consultations

Rory Hafford | 29 November 2008 | Guests

I have been running quite a number of medical communciations programmes for doctors up and down the country. No matter where we find ourselves, the same concerns keep cropping up. Patients are as different in their make-up as snowflakes (just... Read more

Munster madness affects the masses

29 November 2008 | Garrett FitzGerald

Dr Garett FitzGerald reports on some strange medical ailments going on last week throughout Munster, after the province's rugby team almost beat the All Blacks in Thomond Park. There are three tombstones in Ballygunner cemetery whose inscriptions have been altered... Read more

Transferable skills training is necessary for medics

Dr Kenneth McKenzie | 28 November 2008 | Guests

Dr Kenneth McKenzie writes that the role of the medic is becoming increasingly more complex and that medical training must reflect this. Although it always seems foolhardy to try to predict the healthcare landscape, it seems very unlikely that the... Read more

Breaking the IT barriers

Helix Health | 28 November 2008 | Guests

The health sector needs to take advantage of the opportunities presented by ICT in order to improve both efficiency and the quality of care for patients. Among the largest barriers to technology integration in the health sector today are tight... Read more

Policy — not history

Terence Cosgrave | 28 November 2008 | Editorial

Terence Cosgrave says that to effect reform in the health service, we must consign past allegiances to history. It’s not hyperbole or exaggeration to state that the world is going through extraordinary times. The international financial crisis has already had... Read more

Medics cannot stand by in silence for any longer

Dr Illona Duffy | 28 November 2008 | Ilona Duffy

Dr Illona Duffy writes that if doctors are willing to stand by and watch the downgrading of safe, local hospitals, then they must also be prepared to accept the consequences. I had a lovely ‘happy clappy’ piece written. Instead of... Read more

Noble cause still takes human lives

Richard C. Shanahan | 27 November 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, Having read the article in the 14 November issue of Irish Medical Times, entitled ‘UCC’s code of practice for stem cells’. (www.imt.ie/opinion/2008/11/uccs_code_of_practice_for_stem.html), I am jolted into the question, what are they doing with MY college? They produce a... Read more

Poll shows support for data sharing

Gary Culliton | 26 November 2008 | Guests

Gary Culliton looks at the results of a new opinion poll published by HIQA, on the issue of sharing health information across the medical system. The results of a new opinion poll published by the Health Information and Quality Authority... Read more

It's time to face up to your priorities

Dr Paul Heslin | 26 November 2008 | Guests

Dr Paul Heslin takes a few minutes to wonder whether shaving, flossing or brushing his teeth should be his priority in the morning — and wastes more of his precious time in the process. The time management guru said that... Read more

Morbidity, mortality and mistakes

Dr John Ryan | 25 November 2008 | Letter from America

Dr John Ryan writes that the biggest mistake in medicine is to ignore the potential for error — and the capacity to learn and initiate change after things go wrong. One of the responsibilities of being a Chief Resident is... Read more

Screening in Waterford city

David Slattery | 25 November 2008 | Guests

Dear Editor, I was amused at the article in Irish Medical Times on 7 November by Derbhile Dromey (www.imt.ie/news/2008/11/waterford_city_gets_screening.html). The headline was ‘Waterford city gets screening services’. This was referring to cardiac screening in two private clinics in Waterford city.... Read more

Dispensing in surgeries

Dr Oliver Whyte | 25 November 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, In keeping with the pharmacists’ desire to enhance patient service and convenience and to encourage efficiency, would it not be more effective for GPs to dispense on the spot in the surgery after a consultation by either direct... Read more

Address GP shortages

25 November 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, With the ongoing shortage of GPs and the increasing number of medical cards being issued, radical action needs to be taken: 1. Reduce trainees’ training time from four to three years; 2. Encourage young doctors to work in... Read more

Co-op success for HSE and GPs

Greg Baxter | 25 November 2008 | Guests

Greg Baxter speaks to Dr Mel Bates about the success of D-Doc, with doctors and the HSE working together to provide the service. The two-year anniversary of the start of operations for D-Doc, the north Dublin GP co-op, is 28... Read more

Dealing with redundancies

Dermot Casserly | 24 November 2008 | Guests

Dermot Casserly writes that in the event of redundancy, it is vitally important to implement procedures that minimise the risk of future difficulties and avoid potential claims. Redundancy, especially in the current economic upheaval, is an unwelcome but often unavoidable... Read more

Theatre plan to improve care

Nycomed | 24 November 2008 | Guests

An initiative that is currently being field-tested in the UK aims to ensure best practice in operating theatres and to improve the patient's experience. A programme targeted at surgeons and anaesthetists in the UK aims to ensure consistently excellent practice... Read more

Man Trap makes prostate case

Terence Cosgrave | 24 November 2008 | Guests

Terence Cosgrave reviews a new book by Irish Medical Times writer Rory Hafford, which examines the case for a national prostate screening programme for Ireland — would it save lives? This book is a compelling addition to medical debate in... Read more

The cost of freedom

Terence Cosgrave | 23 November 2008 | Editorial

Terence Cosgrave says the cost of Freedom of Information requests has effectively stopped the release of data. There were fewer than 150 requests made by journalists to the Health Service Executive in the last year. That’s a little fewer than... Read more

People have lost faith in Cowen

Kealan Flynn | 22 November 2008 | Kealan Flynn

Bertie Ahern’s governments were famous for an approach to politics and public administration that could best be described as leadership by weather-vane. But in everyday political terms, it suited the time and suited the people, or many of them at... Read more

Providing fully qualified and cost-effective locums

David Van Der Vegt | 22 November 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, With regard to story published in IMT’s 14.11.08 issue, ‘Agencies failing to follow HSE locum guidelines?’: Healthcare providers, including medical manpower managers within the HSE, are under continuing pressure to control the costs of the services they provide.... Read more

Observations on the possible Aer Lingus strike

G.B. | 21 November 2008 | The Inside Back

I never know what I believe, when it comes to unions and industrial action. The reason is that I am neither conservative nor liberal. I have almost no public politics, and within myself, my politics are anarchic. I mistrust laws:... Read more

Guidelines do not bring reassurance

Dr Jhn Kehoe | 21 November 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, Reading about the assurances of ‘strict guidelines drawn up by the University Research Ethics Board’ at UCC regarding experimentation and manipulation of human embryos in IMT (14/11/2008) did not bring me much comfort. To use stem cell lines... Read more

Finger injury gives rise to claim against surgeon for negligence

Ed Madden | 20 November 2008 | Guests

Ed Madden, BL, looks at a recent High Court case in which a man claimed damages arising from treatment of an injury to his finger at St James’s Hospital, Dublin In the early hours of the morning of 28 October... Read more

Caucasian GPs should 'not have the monopoly'

Dr Patricia S Black | 20 November 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, This morning I watch with joy the electoral victory of Barack Obama for the next president of America. It is particularly resounding to me and I’m sure to many others around the world. I look at the present... Read more

Seven beds for transfer of cancer surgery to CUH

Dara Gantly | 20 November 2008 | Guests

With phase one of the transfer of breast cancer surgery in the south under way, Dara Gantly looks at the requirements for and implications of moving the entire service to Cork University Hospital. Cork University Hospital (CUH) will require seven... Read more

Minister has 'lost it' on cervical cancer vaccine

Garett FitzGerald | 20 November 2008 | Garrett FitzGerald

Dr Garrett FitzGerald does not think much of what is happening at Government or HSE level and writes that after the recent debacles in health, an election cannot come soon enough. The process by which the doctors will be sidelined... Read more

Hope, change, history and other things that don't exist

17 November 2008 | The Inside Back

As the world celebrates renewal in America – a country that, with the right leadership, can encourage and defend and realise democracy around the globe, and ignite the occasional but indomitable lust for hope in humankind – let us, the... Read more

Saviour of the ghetto children

Dr Thecla Scully | 17 November 2008 | Guests

Dr Thecla Scully writes about the life of Irena Sendler, the doctor's daughter who rescued 2,500 Jewish children from the ghetto in Warsaw, Poland. Irena Sendler was the only child of Dr Stanislaw Krzyzanowski. At the time of her birth... Read more

Healthtopia: a tale of two countries

Max Borders | 17 November 2008 | Guests

Max Borders looks at the healthcare systems in Singapore and in France and wonders if there really is an ideal system that protects the vulnerable, while also allowing people to make their own choices. If you could design a healthcare... Read more

Focusing on the patient: the eyes have it

Rory Hafford | 17 November 2008 | Guests

Rory Hafford continues with his medical communications series by taking a quick blink at the importance of eye contact. My GP used to scare me. I was rather young at the time, but I remember he had two particular traits... Read more

Innovative research to aid medicine and pharma

17 November 2008 | Guests

Research is currently under way in the University of Limerick that may be of major benefit to the pharmaceutical industry and medical sector. A number of world-class research pro-jects are under way at the University of Limerick (UL). Research projects... Read more

Challenging conditions in the Congo

Alan Deeley | 17 November 2008 | Guests

Alan Deeley reports on Médicins Sans Frontières' current work in the crisis-ridden Democratic Republic of Congo. Crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has presented Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) with a dilemma: to direct medical, paramedical and non-medical staff... Read more

Doctor's appeal rejected by High Court

Ed Madden | 17 November 2008 | Guests

Ed Madden, BL, on a case in which a consultant psychiatrist appealed against a decision of a Fitness to Practice Panel of the General Medical Council to suspend her from the Medical Register Dr Moya Catriona Russell, who practises as... Read more

Deciding on advance care

Gary Culliton | 17 November 2008 | Guests

Gary Culliton on the Law Reform Commission's recent consultation paper on advance care directives, which allow a person to set out their wishes in advance about future care and treatment. Currently there is no formal legal structure in Ireland under... Read more

UCC's code of practice for stem cells

Gary Culliton | 16 November 2008 | Guests

Gary Culliton takes a close look at the strict new guidelines governing embryonic stem cell research at University College Cork. The Governing Body of University College Cork has backed the recommendation of the university’s Academic Council allowing embryonic stem cell... Read more

Efforts needed for asthma control

Ian McGuinness | 15 November 2008 | Guests

Ian McGuinness reports from last week's meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health, which heard that Ireland needs a new model for asthma control. A Finnish-style model for asthma control needs to be adopted by the Republic of Ireland,... Read more

Rewards of helping heal mind

Dr Karen O'Connor | 14 November 2008 | Guests

That must be depressing. This is the most common response I receive to the disclosure that I am training as a psychiatrist and for quite a while, I didn’t have a satisfactory or truly honest answer to this statement. Often... Read more

Time for a change in the US

Dr John Ryan | 13 November 2008 | Letter from America

Dr John Ryan shares his thoughts from the night of Tuesday, 4 November, when it was announced that Barack Obama is to be the next president of the United States. The world changed at 11 o’clock. Nobody saw it coming... Read more

Putting things into perspective

Terence Cosgrave | 13 November 2008 | Editorial

Terence Cosgrave writes that no matter what argument you choose to take as an example, your sense of right and wrong always boils down to just one thing — it all depends on your own perspective. Perspective is the key... Read more

Good health linked to better education

Greg Baxter | 12 November 2008 | Guests

Greg Baxter on a new report that looked at the health impacts of education and found that higher education levels are linked to better health in adulthood. We know that education is a determinant of good health. But a debate... Read more

Harney should now do the honourable thing

Dr Illona Duffy | 12 November 2008 | Ilona Duffy

Just when you think there can’t be any more damage done to our health service, it moves closer to meltdown. Even as I write this, I can’t help wondering if it sounds a bit melodramatic. Then I look at today’s... Read more

First course to use Second Life

11 November 2008 | Guests

A new training system has just been implemented for paramedic students in London, which allows them to treat online avatars of patients. A new approach to paramedic training in the UK, which uses the latest in e-health applications, will see... Read more

New report praises Safetynet

Ian McGuinness | 11 November 2008 | Guests

Ian McGuinness reports on a new study which has found that a pilot methadone programme for homeless people should be greatly expanded. A pilot programme to provide methadone services to homeless people at the Dublin Simon Emergency Shelter should be... Read more

Flu vaccine reduces hospitalisations

Dr Fionnuala Cooney | 10 November 2008 | Guests

Dear Editor, I would like to comment on the clinical item entitled, ‘Vaccine does not reduce hospitalisations’ (IMT, 24/10/’08, p35 or see www.imt.ie/clinical/respiratory/vaccine-does-not-reduce-hospit.html). This report relates to a study from the USA of 414 children aged between six months and... Read more

Excessively emotive language often used against ECT

Dr Robert Daly | 10 November 2008 | Letters

Dear Editor, In the article ‘ECT debate continues in the Seanad’ (IMT 17/10/’08 or see www.imt.ie/clinical/mental-health-cns/ect-debate-continues-in-the-se-1.html), Dr Michael Corry comments on a research publication authored by Dr Harold Sackeim and colleagues (‘The cognitive effects of ECT in community settings’, Neuropsychopharmacology... Read more

It's all about location

Terence Cosgrave | 10 November 2008 | Editorial

Terence Cosgrave writes that the inequalities in healthcare between different regions are getting harder to accept. The experience of attending the American Congress of Rheumatology’s conference in San Francisco last week brought home to me the extent to which medicine... Read more

The consent process in elective procedures

Ciara Dalton | 10 November 2008 | Guests

Ciara Dalton, Solicitor with Beauchamps Solicitors, outlines the three issues to consider in the consent process — the obligation to warn, the content of the warning and the time of the warning. The essential basis of the consent process is... Read more

Cut out the middleman with clean transactions

Dr Paul Heslin | 10 November 2008 | Guests

Dr Paul Heslin writes that patients who deal in clean and simple cash transactions should be rewarded for cutting out the middlemen — the banks and their bureaucracy It was while putting my cheques into my bank account that I... Read more

Injection device makes life easier

Nycomed | 10 November 2008 | Guests

The careful design of medical devices can help to empower patients to take charge of their medical conidtions and improve their daily living conditions. Empowering patients to take charge of their medical condition, and improve their quality of life, is... Read more

Hard times call for hard decisions to be made

Dr Mark Hannon | 10 November 2008 | Mark Hannon

Dr Mark Hannon writes that in light of our current economic circumstances, every group within the health service will have to sacrifice something in the national interest. It appears that the dust is finally beginning to settle on the medical... Read more

Giving your team a sporting chance

Dr Mick Molloy | 10 November 2008 | Mick Molloy

Dr Mick Molloy writes that when accompanying a sports team as a medical officer, everything must be organised — from pills to passports. Some people love travelling, and I used to be one of those people. I think I may... Read more

Coroner's decision challenged by man's girlfriend

Ed Madden | 10 November 2008 | Guests

Ed Madden, BL, on a case in which a woman challenged a coroner's decision not to conduct an investigation into her boyfriend's death under the European Convention on Human Rights. Mahdi Abdullah Nadir Al-Jaf, who lived in Sheffield with his... Read more

The 'must-do' act for the HSE during global recession

Mr Sherif Sultan | 10 November 2008 | Guests

Mr Sherif Sultan writes that during economic recession, health managers must demonstrate responsibility and he asks if it is time to make medical health management a true profession. Over the past decades, despite widespread institutional breakdown of the healthcare system,... Read more

Bill aims to offer fair deal for the elderly

Gary Culliton | 10 November 2008 | Guests

Gary Culliton reports on the Department of Health and Children's recent clarification of the terms of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill. The Department of Health and Children has responded to questions raised following the publication of the Nursing Homes... Read more

Stroke risk going untreated

Greg Baxter | 10 November 2008 | Guests

Greg Baxter speaks to Prof Eoin O'Brien, who says Ireland needs to initiate widespread ambulatory blood pressure measurement. Seventy per cent of the thousands of pensioners who gathered at the gates of Leinster House to protest about medical card cutbacks... Read more

No sanction for Ireland over qualifications directive

Dara Gantly | 10 November 2008 | Guests

Dara Gantly writes that Ireland has been given a reprieve over a failure to implement new legislation regarding doctors' qualifications across the EU. Ireland will not be brought before the European Court of Justice over failure to implement a European... Read more

No sanction for Ireland over qualifications directive

Dara Gantly | 10 November 2008 | Guests

Dara Gantly writes that Ireland has been given a reprieve over a failure to implement new legislation regarding doctors' qualifications across the EU. Ireland will not be brought before the European Court of Justice over failure to implement a European... Read more

Modern stresses put many doctors under pressure

Dr Joyce Galbraith | 05 November 2008 | Guests

Dr Joyce Galbraith writes that the possibility of competency tests, combined with language barriers, make working conditions very stressful for doctors. I read a news item recently which at first made me wonder if it wasn’t a spoof, although it... Read more

Council committed to improving standards

Gary Culliton | 05 November 2008 | Guests

Gary Culliton reports on the new competence assurance programme being planned at the Medical Council and what the scheme will entail. The Medical Council has agreed to develop competence assurance schemes, and a representative group has been set up, which... Read more

The crucifixion of Willie O’Dea and the Irish lust for indignance

04 November 2008 | The Inside Back

The world record for the longest conversation held between two or more people speaking at the same time while wagging fingers at each other was broken on RTE’s Questions and Answers last week. The conversation was held between Willie O’Dea... Read more

Care worker was verbally abusive to elderly resident

Ed Madden | 04 November 2008 |

Ed Madden, BL, looks at a UK case in which a care home appealed against a decision of an employment tribunal that its decision to dismiss a support worker at the home was unfair Ms D. E. Smith was employed... Read more

Grey Power takes control of cuts

Dr Garrett FitzGerald | 04 November 2008 | Garrett FitzGerald

Dr Garrett FitzGerald writes that recent protests mean that primary-care cuts have been taken off the table, which leaves hospitals as the major target. All that stuff about Grey Power (not a Waterford man) is wonderfully democratic. Hundreds of angry... Read more

Council committed to improving standards

04 November 2008 | Guests

Gary Culliton reports on the new competence assurance programme being planned at the Medical Council and what the scheme will entail. The Medical Council has agreed to develop competence assurance schemes, and a representative group has been set up, which... Read more