As much as 25 per cent of the charges for attending emergency departments (EDs) may go uncollected by the HSE, a fact that could be contributing to the overcrowding and trolley crisis in our hospitals.

The Overseas Medics of Ireland (OMI), which has 400 members, is set to hold discussions with the Irish Medical Council in relation to the implementation of the Medical Practitioners Act (MPA) 2007, in a bid to find a way around obstacles foreign doctors may face if they want to practise in Ireland, a situation the OMI claims could be contributing

Lawyers hit by the economic crash have turned to clinical negligence work and are charging fees that are not proportionate, the Medical Protection Society (MPS) said.

Time may be running out for Irish and UK doctors living ‘Down Under’, if the Australian Medical Association’s submissions back in May to its government for changes to immigration policy are accepted, which would force hospitals to fill vacancies locally before recruiting international medical graduates (IMGs).

The HSE is seeking to hire 35 clerical staff to support its Health Business Services based at Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, from as early as mid-February.

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has paid a total of a quarter of a million euro to resolve a labour dispute with its former Director of Communications and Public Affairs, IMT reports.

The IMO has embarked on an ‘Introduce a Friend’ promotion in a bid to boost its membership figures, IMT reports.

Just over three-quarters (76%) of eligible women in Ireland have availed of cervical screening under the National Cervical Screening Programme, CervicalCheck, the Medical Director of the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) said.

Maximum utilisation of the district hospital network through modest investment to create “an altogether new dynamic” could significantly reduce the current pressure on the acute hospital system, manifested by the hospital emergency department (ED) overcrowding crisis, a GP leader has said.

Close to 2,000 elective procedures have been cancelled in order to ease pressure on Emergency Departments (EDs) — a move described as “necessary” by Minister for Health Dr Leo Varadkar, who stressed that “patient safety comes first”.