Ageing population takes its toll on Ireland’s health system
With the proportion of elderly people increasing as the population rises, how will the country cope with the health implications of these changing demographics?
Health Service Executive (HSE)
Woman loses bid for retrial of case alleging HSE failed to promptly diagnose cancer
Court of Appeal dismisses Catriona Crumlish’s case saying it ‘failed at the first causation hurdle’
Five-week-old baby boy died while being carried in sling, inquest hears
Coroner in case to write to HSE to ensure parents are aware of risks associated with use of the baby carriers
How did the High Court case between UHL surgeon and HSE come about?
Prof Brian Lenehan is challenging his suspension following report on the death of Aoife Johnston in December 2022
Clinical director at Limerick hospital where Aoife Johnston died placed on leave due to ‘serious risk’ to patients
Prof Brian Lenehan, suspended in the wake of reports into death of the Co Clare teenager, told the High Court that decision to suspend him lacks reason
Chickenpox vaccine to be offered to babies at 12 months
Some 170 cases of chickenpox resulted in hospitalisation in 2023, the highest number in recent years
Now that I am free of kidney dialysis, I want others to be free too
The only value of having power is to empower other people in turn. Experience of illness and the health system yields simple insights into how care can be improved
On-the-spot fine for those caught selling tobacco or vapes at events aimed at children comes into effect
Measure is part of strategy aimed at eliminating the use of tobacco products and protecting children
Ongoing risk to life at UHL, HSE chief says
Risk of reoccurrence of circumstances that led to death of Aoife Johnston at Limerick hospital still present ‘but I think the risk is less’, says Bernard Gloster
HSE awarded €500m worth of tenders to external companies in past eight years, figures show
Consultancy firm Ernst and Young was paid a total of €33.5m by health service in 2023 for orders over €100,000
Report into Aoife Johnston’s death at UHL to be published next week, says HSE
Clare teenager (16) died of meningitis in December 2022 with suspected sepsis that went untreated for more than 12 hours
Housing charity aiding people with mental health problems calls for funding boost
Record number last year assisted by Hail which is providing an ‘essential’ service for the State, says chief executive
Hospitals want Coalition to set out funding over several years as in case of RTÉ
Voluntary hospitals also warn on cost of boosting cybersecurity and weight of accumulated deficits of more than €340m
Family of Aoife Johnston refuses to meet HSE chief until full report into her death is published
Family wants unredacted report into death of 16-year-old in University Hospital Limerick in 2022 to be published to highlight ‘its shortcomings’, solicitor says
Transgender woman says she was unable to receive ‘basic healthcare’ at Dublin hospital after gender surgery
St James’s Hospital advised Paige Behan to go instead to Holles Street
Psychiatric nurses to take industrial action after latest talks fail
Industrial action due to begin on September 17th
More than half of patients assessed under HSE programme at risk of diabetes or cardiovascular disease
HSE publishes first report of Opportunistic Case Finding Programme at its national conference on integrated care
Level of reimbursement for people who travel North for cataract surgery is reduced
Popular scheme for cataract patients reduced by HSE
Ageing Ireland: What can the Government do to deal with a rising and older population?
As key services in education, health, housing and transport struggle with increasing demand, plans are being devised to deal with pressures from rising immigration and people living longer
New phone number for triaging non-urgent medical cases to be assessed by Hiqa
Alternative phone number to the 112/999 service would seek to reduce pressure on the national emergency phone line
The ‘inpatients’ at home on a virtual ward: “The nurse was on to me in jig time: ‘Have you died or what?’”
Since its launch earlier this summer, the new service offering hospital care in the comfort of patients’ homes has been used by over 100 people
HSE warns of rolling surges in respiratory infections, measles and Covid this winter
HSE prepares to ramp up vaccination programmes, including new initiative targeting newborn babies
GP sets up organisation to help doctors from India work in Ireland
Dr George Leslie Thomas Prekattil says many doctors are deterred by registration delays and exam scheduling
Hiqa to advise Government next summer on whether additional ED needed in midwest
Health and social care regulator publishes terms of reference of new review into emergency department services in midwest region
Family of non-verbal woman subjected to inappropriate contact in HSE facility call for other resident’s removal
Review found safeguarding failures surrounding incident in June last year
Senior public-health nurse managers in west signal intention to take industrial action
Action being taken because HSE has failed to implement recommendations intended to address issues involved, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says
HSE directed to suppress senior post to compensate for role created for children’s hospital ex-chief
Reassignment of former CHI chief Eilísh Hardiman to new position as strategic programme director in April followed ‘mediation process’, documents indicate
‘Sufficient’ supplies of mpox vaccine for State to counter risk deemed low by health officials
WHO upgraded the disease to ‘public health emergency of international concern’ this week
Global research warns of accelerating mental health problems and illness among young people
Study finds in many countries the mental health of young people has declined over the past two decades and was made worse by Covid and the measures taken to contain it
Ireland facing worsening shortage of GPs as retirements loom, representative body warns
Local TDs have expressed concern that there is still no successor in place for outgoing doctor in Ardara, Co Donegal
University Hospital Limerick overcrowding: HSE is warned many issues are at heart of problem
Decision to postpone scheduled care is ‘abandonment of the people’ in the midwest, says IHCA
Donohoe defends Coalition’s record as it breaks spending rule again
Government will make additional €1.2bn available for health service despite almost 10% cost overrun so far this year
Multiple myeloma: Patients are living longer and longer
Incurable blood cancer’s symptoms include bone and back pain, weight loss, fatigue and greater frequency of infections over several months. Blood tests and X-rays help in diagnosis
Waiting lists for community healthcare up 50% in five years to more than 230,000
HSE cites significant challenges encountered ‘for many service areas’ as a consequence of Covid-19 pandemic
‘She gave a voice to many’: Disability campaigner Leigh Gath dies
Gath was appointed the HSE’s first confidential recipient in late 2014 following the Áras Attracta abuse scandal
Dublin office vacancies yet to peak with more space due for completion in 2024
Vacancy rate hit 15.9% in the second quarter, says Knight Frank
HSE employee was paid €700,000 last year for treating patients out of normal hours, report reveals
Termination payment of €1.6m to outgoing staff member revealed in Comptroller and Auditor General report
HSE staffing strategy will see 2,000 posts abolished and affect patient safety, unions say
Health service chief recently told senior managers staffing ‘now at a level not previously seen and continues to grow’
Urgent alert issued after nitazine causes fatal overdose in unnamed prison
Irish Prison Service ‘working closely’ with HSE in response to detection of synthetic opioid which led to a series of overdoses last year in Dublin and Cork
Number of outpatients seen per consultant has fallen by nearly 30% since 2016
New data shows variations in average number of out-patients seen by consultants in same specialty
Several food businesses and Dublin creche ordered to close in June for breaches relating to rodents and flies
Some premises forced to close entirely including a childcare facility where a ‘significant amount of rodent droppings’ were found
Call for overhaul of mental health services for new mothers
National Women’s Council calls for strengthening of specialist perinatal mental health services
Mental health worker described as ‘mad f**ker’ by charity secretary awarded €13,000 by WRC
Secretary who wrote letter claimed term was used ‘affectionately’ and referred to complainant’s commitment to project
Patients in mental distress safer in community than in most specialised treatment centres, watchdog says
Some centres designed to treat people with most serious illnesses ‘unsafe’, says service inspector Prof Jim Lucey
‘This isn’t working. We have to shout stop’: Inspector of mental health services says standards not being met
Prof Jim Lucey says he is disappointed that ‘the highest level of noncompliance ever’ was found last year by the Mental Health Commission
Calorie labels on online fast food menus seen as means to reduce future pressures on health service
Department of Health research unit also recommends increasing hospital activity by changing the default to day case rather than inpatient treatment
Adults with cerebral palsy in Ireland face a lifelong battle for support
The challenges that adults in Ireland with cerebral palsy face expose gaps in our healthcare system that need to be addressed
More than 100 children waiting over four years for psychology services in Cork, figures show
Social Democrats leader tells Dáil total number of children and teenagers on list for Cork and Kerry now tops 5,000
Large public hospitals warn they could have to curtail or close services as deficits exceed €340m
Voluntary hospitals tell HSE they are facing ‘critical liquidity issues’
An Irishman in London: Britain’s once-brilliant health system is now on its knees
Using private clinics been would have been unthinkable when I first moved here. Now, it feels almost irresponsible not to use one if you can afford to do so
Child with ‘profound’ disability in hospital over 100 days more than medically necessary due to lack of services
Ombudsman highlights lack of State services to support children with disabilities to live at home with families
Coroner reserves decision following four-day hearing into death of man who left hospital in early hours
Coroner makes clear he will not be recording a verdict of death by suicide in the case of Patrick Rowland (69), who drowned after leaving Mayo University Hospital
HSE warns against illegal benzodiazepine tablets following cluster of overdoses across Ireland
Presence of nitazene, a dangerous synthetic opioid, confirmed in yellow, round counterfeit tablets
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