Terence Cosgrave writes that the cuts in April’s Budget must make practical sense, rather than blind slashing of resources The law of unintended consequences is often the most dangerous law of all. It happens when a law is introduced to solve a problem, but has the effect of creating another unforeseen problem. Sometimes these ‘unintended’ [...]
The Alaskan ‘spoke’ system brings stroke care to patients in isolated areas and allows neurologist to treat patients miles away. Stroke patients in Alaska now have a greater chance of survival because of a telemedicine system that will allow neurologists to treat patients thousands of miles away. The REACH Call interactive web-based system will be [...]
Dear Editor, Generic prescribing should be the path of least resistance. I worked in general practice in Wales for many years and my surgery, like almost all others in the area, had generic prescribing rates in the region of 90 per cent. On returning to Ireland, I fully intended to carry on this practice. However, [...]
Dear Editor, The ‘Jade Goody’ effect is being strongly felt in general practice, where younger women, and especially those from poorer social backgrounds, are requesting cervical screening. They attend our surgeries, wanting to look after themselves, only to be told that they must be 25 years or older to have their smear performed ‘for free’. [...]
Rory Hafford continues his series on medical communications with a look at how clothes maketh the medic. I was talking to a young doctor recently about how physicians should dress. This chap, an SpR in surgery, told me he was on a flight from London to Dublin when a passenger took ill. The call went [...]
Dr Mick Molloy examines the latest proposal by the HSE not to pay the training allowance for NCHDs and why this could prove costly. There has been a lot of talk about training allowances in the health services in this current economic climate. Do we need them? Can we afford to train people? What is [...]
Dr Paul Heslin says that if GPs have to take a cut in pay — then they should cut back on the useless work they do in order to improve their service. Have you been wondering whether the financial storms ahead will lead to better medical care or worse medical care? I rather hope that [...]
Kieran Doran, UCC Senior Lecturer in Healthcare Ethics, discusses the issue of consent for children whose parents are Jehovah’s Witnesses. Currently, one of the most controversial aspects of medico-legal practice is that of the provision of blood transfusions to patients who are Jehovah’s Witnesses — particularly the legal right of a Jehovah’s Witness parent to [...]
Dr Paul Stewart writes on a man who has survived the Depression, a World War and an addiction to chocolate to make to 100 (almost). He was born to an Irish mother and Scottish ship’s carpenter father somewhere in the west of Ireland on July 1, 1909. The family lived in Manchester. He was brought [...]
Dr Garrett FitzGerald on the HSE strategy to use consultant arachnologists to solve the problems of the health service year-on-year going forward. Patient:- Doctor, what exactly is it that’s wrong with me? Doctor:- It would take a wiser man than me to know that. Patient:- Have you any idea at all, Doc? I’m in a [...]
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