A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
•Students to learn about cancer: A new education programme for transition-year students which aims to improve understanding of the genetics and molecular biology of cancer is to be piloted at four secondary schools in Cork.
The cancer biology programme runs over approximately 10 lessons and will be taught by specially trained teachers this autumn.
The multimedia programme was created by Cian O'Mahony, a teacher in Douglas Community School, Dr Dan O'Sullivan from Coláiste Chríost Rí and Professor Gerald O'Sullivan at the Cork Cancer Research Centre.
It was devised to provide teachers with a practical and relevant tool to use in biology lessons. The work was funded by Science Foundation Ireland's Secondary Teacher Assistant Researchers Award (Stars) programme and conducted in the laboratories of the Cork Cancer Research Centre under the guidance of Dr Mark Tangney.
Mr O'Mahony said that with cancer affecting one in three Irish people during their lifetime, it is important to increase students' awareness and understanding of the disease. "The programme addresses a number of key questions including how cancer grows inside the body, how it develops and how this fits into everyday genetics and biology," he said.
The pilot programme will run in Douglas Community School, Coláiste Chríost Rí, Christ the King and Mount Mercy.
• New facilities at the Rotunda: New infection control facilities have been opened at Dublin's Rotunda Hospital.
They include two isolation rooms which have a mechanically-controlled ventilation system that permits use of either negative or positive pressure to prevent the spread of infection.
The isolation rooms will be known as the Rochford Rooms, in memory of Judith Rochford, the first patient admitted to the Rotunda Hospital.
In addition, four existing single rooms have been revamped into new en-suite single rooms which will be known as The Mosse Suite, after the hospital's founder Dr Bartholomew Mosse. The suite is designed to meet the needs of women admitted with complications associated with pregnancy.
• Information technology in healthcare: The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has appointed Prof Jane Grimson to work with it on the establishment of its health information function.
Prof Grimson is chairwoman of the Centre for Health Informatics at Trinity College, Dublin, which she helped to establish. She is also a former Vice-Provost of the College and is chairwoman of the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology. She is also a member of the Board of Science Foundation Ireland and until recently was president of the Healthcare Informatics Society of Ireland. Much of our healthcare data continues to be processed manually in spite of decades of experience in the successful application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in other information intensive industries such as banking and insurance.
Prof Grimson said there are many reasons for the slow uptake of ICT in healthcare, including lack of investment in the technology and a lack of people with the relevant skills. "These issues are now being addressed as it becomes clear that health information is a fundamental requirement of a high reliability health care system. A robust health information environment will allow all stakeholders - patients and service users, health professionals, policy makers and the general public - to make choices or decisions based on the best available information," she said.
• Fundraising for breast cancer: The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) will hold its second annual Race Against Breast Cancer Day on Sunday, November 4th at Leopardstown Racecourse. Last year's event raised €627,500 for breast cancer research.
Promising to be one of the social events of the year, guests will be welcomed by the Camembert Quartet and Prime Time presenter, Miriam O'Callaghan will be MC on the day. The first of the day's eight races takes place at 12.30pm. There will also be an auction.
Tables seat 10 guests, at a cost of €3,000. Early booking is advised.
For further information contact the RCSI at 01-4022747.