The Department of Health is looking for expert analysis of potential measures to encourage the provision of primary care and long-term residential care facilities, including possible new tax incentives.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is currently examining a recent ruling from the European Court of Justice (CJEU) that could have major implications for future GP contract negotiations, Irish Medical Times reports.

Question marks over the constitutionality of Part VIII of the Medical Practitioners Act (MPA) 2007 remain unanswered, despite the recent ruling in the landmark Supreme Court case involving the Medical Council and Consultant Paediatrician Prof Martin Corbally, IMT reports.

The economic crisis has impacted negatively on primary care and general practice in particular has passed the tipping point and can no longer cope, a leading Irish GP told the next generation of family doctors at a pan-European event held in Dublin last weekend.

The HSE expects that the new National Children’s Hospital will be a “digital” and “largely paperless” facility, IMT reports.

The appointment of locums has a bearing on a number of patient safety investigations, in the view of Fine Gael’s Seanad spokesperson on Health, Senator Colm Burke.

The condition of the entire €10 billion capital infrastructure of the HSE estate countrywide is set to be assessed, IMT reports.

The overall risk of a case of Ebola being imported into in Ireland remains low, the HSE said, although the Executive is being notified by the Department of Foreign affairs of all Irish citizens travelling to West Africa and at any one time is monitoring around five individuals for signs of the disease.

An Bord Pleanála has refused the HSE permission for the construction of a new three-storey primary care centre in Finglas, Dublin, comprising a primary care team, community mental health team, and GP surgeries, in order to retain a recreational open space for the surrounding community used as a safe play area for children.

Last December saw 96,269 patients avail of GP out-of-hours services, including triage, treatment and home visits, bringing the total to 939,600 last year.