Dara Gantly asks where the evidence-based policy is when it comes to health reform.

In a continuation from last week’s issue, Geraldine Corcoran, Tax Partner with HLB Ryan & Co, provides an overview of how Budget 2015 may affect healthcare workers and their patients.

Dear Editor, Dr Muiris Houston, writing in Irish Medical Times on October 17 last, draws attention to the implications of the recent close vote against a proper enquiry into the IMO CEO scandal and concludes that the fallout is far from over

The Chief Justice has reserved judgement on the Medical Council’s priority appeal for the Supreme Court to clarify the meaning of poor professional performance (PPP) under the Medical Practitioners Act, in relation to the High Court’s decision overturning the regulatory body’s finding against paediatrician Prof Martin Corbally, and a sanction of admonishment.

The Department of Health is examining an amendment to the Medical Practitioners Act to provide for the testing of language competence after qualification and prior to registration.

The HSE is to assess the quality of the data of the main national system for recording information relating to inpatient and day case attendances at 38 acute public hospitals in Ireland operating the ‘Money Follows The Patient’ (MFTP) budget model.

Allied Irish Bank (AIB) has set up a €300 million fund to support investment in the healthcare sector, and specifically in long-term care, saying the future is bright for nursing homes as a result of projected growing demand.

Lengthy queuing by outpatients to manually register could become a thing of the past in all six hospital Groups with the HSE planning to streamline the process with a new information system supplied by external contractors.

The HSE is “actively seeking to address” various issues for rural GPs with the IMO, including reorganising lists with existing doctors in local areas, the Minister for Primary Care has revealed.

Apart from the fact that medicine is a challenging and complex profession, there are many other reasons that can be firmly placed at the foot of the health authorities, management and employers, why Irish doctors in general experience stress in their working lives, an RCPI report shows.