‘I have no rights to him’: mothers of children through surrogacy wait in legal limbo
Legislation and regulation are lagging behind for parents not currently recognised on birth certificates
Department of Health
News, analysis, and features about the Department of Health
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill in the spotlight as health controversies intensify
Fears rolling issues involving children’s hospital services and others could dominate the political agenda over the summer
Ireland’s grubby treatment of Covid-19 heroes will cause frontline workers to think twice next time
Nurses who contracted long Covid remain trapped in a post-pandemic freeze frame, battling extreme fatigue, brain fog, weakened immunity, headaches and pain
Beaumont Hospital has NTPF waiting list funding suspended over ‘potential financial irregularities’
Dublin hospital drawn into funding controversy as Crumlin children’s hospital identified as subject of prior concerns
I wrote the Leas Cross report. Two decades on, has anything changed in Irish nursing homes?
RTÉ documentary made clear that Hiqa cannot assure the public of appropriate and dignified care standards in nursing homes
Children’s health crisis will roll on until there is transparency about how public money is spent
There was a significant drop in the average number of patients seen per consultant last year, with ramifications for our long waiting lists
CHI funding from NTPF will resume imminently, says Department of Health
Payments were suspended for ‘insourcing’ at CHI on foot of internal report suggesting irregularities about scheme operation
Audit of CHI waiting lists ordered to ensure productivity in public hospitals, Minister for Health says
Move by Jennifer Carroll MacNeill comes amid controversy over alleged abuse of waiting lists at CHI
Revelations show appalling personal behaviour among some CHI medics
Toll on medics training under certain consultants was especially acute
Always running for office: Barry Heneghan praises northsiders’ athletic superiority
Plus: Old Belvedere Squash Club up the creek without a padel; a Freedom of Information request deemed ‘frivolous or vexatious’; and a chance to test yourself against Dublin’s finest sprinter, Callie the cheetah
Up to 6,800 more inpatient beds will be needed by 2040, says ESRI report
Ireland’s ageing and increasing population will mean greater capacity requirements in public hospitals over next 15 years
CHI consultant who allegedly referred public patients to his own weekend clinic faced no disciplinary action
Children's Health Ireland clinician at centre of internal review retired after inquiry flagged governance issues
‘Come to Ireland, get well paid and a holiday’: The GPs lured from the UK to Ireland
An increase in UK doctors seeking work in Ireland is being linked to geographical proximity and difficulties in the NHS
Ireland U-turns to oppose EU pharma reforms after intense lobbying
Pharmaceutical companies stepped up blitz to push Government to back industry position, lobbying logs show
‘I can’t wait any longer’: Couples with one child await budget pledge on free IVF
It was announced in October’s budget that access to State scheme would be expanded this year
Free HRT widely available in pharmacies from June after agreement reached with Department of Health
Increased one-off grant offered to pharmacists after union talks with department
Former Children’s Health Ireland boss kept salary of almost €184k in new role
Some €250,000 in potential income for CHI was lost due to late insurance claims, Public Accounts Committee hears separately
Staffing still an issue in key areas of HSE intended to benefit from seven day rostering
Health union Fórsa ‘concerned about employment gaps’ but Minister says she intends changes will come into effect by end of June
Mother of hip surgery child sent 30 emails to hospital and only received reply after solicitor got involved
Sinn Féin TD says parents going abroad as CHI, Government not giving them answers over hip surgery controversy
Staff shortages and public perception leading to healthcare worker burnout, Fórsa research suggests
A lack of career development and a ‘disconnect’ between workers and management also factors, survey of 3,800 finds
Over 2,200 families of children who received hip surgeries over 15 year period written to by CHI and Cappagh Orthopaedic Hospital
Report of independent review into surgeries due shortly
National Maternity Hospital bill projected to reach 10 times original cost
Minister for Health expected to bring final business case for project to Cabinet after HSE examine submitted tenders
‘I didn’t know what to do, where to go’: Families affected by addiction seek more support and a say in drugs policy
Inaugural conference of Families in Addiction Recovery Ireland takes place at Croke Park on Monday
Drug shortages adding to workloads at Irish pharmacies
Medicine shortages increasingly negatively affecting patient outcomes, Irish Pharmacy Union says
‘This is no way to run a health system’: Woman settles action over daughter’s death at Cork hospital
Chief executives of CUH and Beaumont offer deepest condolences to Leslie-Ann McGeough over care provided to Abigail (12)
Rotunda Hospital gets additional HSE funds to resolve dispute that left it facing projected €6m deficit
Hospital chairman argued it was being penalised for increasing activity and treating more women
HSE chief wants up to 10% of healthcare staff rostered over weekends by end of June
Bernard Gloster tells conference roster changes would be ‘big part’ of response to trolley challenges
Government and HSE appear to hate doctors, new head of the IMO says
Dr Anne Dee calls out ‘underlying hostility’ towards doctors who are blamed for health service woes
Chief medical officer Mary Horgan: ‘People often forget how bad infections were; our memories sometimes are short’
Chief medical officer Mary Horgan on Covid-19, alcohol warning labels, and the goals for her time in office
Supporting new mothers: ‘Crises should not be the trigger for postnatal care’
New campaign Year of Care aims to highlight the particular needs that arise in the first year of motherhood
Ireland’s free HRT scheme: Why has it been delayed?
Free hormone replacement therapy was due to be introduced on January 1st, now it’s June 1st - but issues remain
Spinal surgeries: When no one is responsible or accountable, shocking incidents likely to happen again
Many people with vital expertise and experience just don’t want to be on healthcare boards anymore, because it’s not worth the risk of reputational damage
Timeline: Background to the controversies at CHI over orthopaedic surgeries for children
New health authority report is one of a number of investigations and reviews commissioned
Defence and health officials disagree over moving air ambulance out of Athlone
Review finds defence personnel sought alternative site but health stakeholders favoured keeping service at Custume Barracks
More than 200 children awaiting spinal surgery as Minister says ‘trajectory’ improving
Long waiting lists have resulted in unacceptable delays for children with a deteriorating condition
Hundreds of children had unnecessary hip surgery at Dublin hospitals, Dáil hears
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty raises issue of audit sparked by whistleblower allegations
Pharma firms ‘disappointed and concerned’ by lack of State support for campaign against EU reforms
New regulations of pharma sector could cost jobs in Ireland, industry warned Government
‘I wasn’t sick enough to access life-saving cancer therapy’
Six years after a shock melanoma diagnosis, Miriam Staunton is currently free of cancer and advocating for other patients
HSE criticised by Department of Health for ‘rationing’ home support hours
Patients must have access to the care they need, health service chief executive told
Irish debate on access to next-generation medicines is missing key data
Industry and Government keep urging each other to do more but neither is moving to fill in the gaps
HSE to clamp down on staff travel and to send fewer letters as part of new savings drive
Chief executive Bernard Gloster says health service spends €29.8million on postal costs and must move towards communication by text and email
HSE launches app for patients to ‘manage care’ online
Health App is among first initiatives of Digital for Care framework
Trolley crisis: Health chief concerned by ‘continued congestion’ at five key hospital sites
Cork, Galway, Limerick, St James’s and St Vincent’s accounted for 44% of people waiting for beds, noted top civil servant
National children’s hospital may not fully open until 2026 due to ‘clinical risks’
Dublin facility may not fully open until spring next year due to ‘clinical risks’
€420m plan to cut patient waiting lists approved
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill brings memo to Cabinet detailing new waiting list action plan aimed at reducing waiting times for patients
IT consultancy Auxilion to invest €10m as it plots UK expansion
Separately, catering and facilities management group Mount Charles plans to create 2,000 jobs
‘It’s kind of become our daughter’s cheat meal’: The view on new hot school meals programme
The scheme now covers nearly 2,200 schools, and 345,000 children, but some parents and teachers have concerns about nutritional standards
Only certain ministerial job appointments so far are the five Independent TDs
Speculation intensifying six days ahead of formal appointment of new Cabinet next Wednesday
Young Scientist exhibition winners: Three Kerry sisters develop app to improve emergency response
Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise Murphy develop ACT app to improve responsiveness to emergencies at community level
HRT scheme roll-out to proceed ‘as soon as possible’, department says
State-funded scheme to provide hormone replacement therapy has been delayed due to issues between Department of Health and pharmacists
Public-only consultant contracts: is the health system finally beginning to see some benefits?
Much staff opposition has fallen away and uptake is higher than had been predicted, though it seems clear the outgoing Minister is not content with the pace of change
Hot school meals scheme: ‘We are institutionalising consumption of ultra-processed food in our children’
Q&A with food analyst Ruth Hegarty: ‘There is a nutrition standard for hot school meals provided by the Government, but there is no oversight of this’
Talks resume between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on new government
Parties report steady progress but difficult areas yet to be discussed
Children’s hospital and building contractor agree plan to complete project by June
New national children's hospital was due to be completed in 2020 but has been beset by cost over-runs, delays and a long-running dispute with contractor BAM
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Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
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