Health service unions mull protests and ballots on industrial action over HSE hiring curbs
More people employed than ever before with substantial growth in recent years, says Health Service Executive
Irish Medical Organisation
Doctors urge ban on ‘destructive’ smartphone use by children under age of 16
Government should declare smartphone and social media use by the young as public health emergency, says Irish Medical Organisation
Stephen Donnelly’s inner management consultant has not gone away, but there is a canny politician lurking in there too
Minister for Health’s latest waiting list initiative seeks to shift focus to lazy consultants
Hard to see how HSE cost-saving measures will add up to better healthcare
A recruitment freeze and plans to drastically reduce reliance on agency staff go not seem to go hand in hand
Health budgets will have to keep pace with demand as population grows and ages, doctors warn
IMO welcomes the substantial increase in hospital bed numbers announced by Government but argues more will be needed
Plan to provide 1,500 new hospital beds by 2028 to be outlined today
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly expected to make announcement on Wednesday, with a further tranche of more hospital beds likely to be scheduled for between 2028 and 2030
Uptake of public-only consultant contract lower in Midwest
Move to phase out private care from public system has had different take-up in different parts of the country
HSE ‘factored in the cost’ of allowing doctors to work without rest, Oireachtas committee hears
Meeting on impact of recruitment freeze told compensatory rest payments are now ‘embedded in the system’
Donohoe and Donnelly meet over health spending following €500m overrun in four months
Department of Health and Department of Public Expenditure have clashed over ongoing health service funding
Public-only contract ‘will not, in and of itself, solve the chronic problems the health service is facing’, the IMO says
The contract also intends to enhance senior decision maker presence on-site, out of hours and at weekends
Excessive use of social media creating generation of ‘broken people’, psychiatrist says
Use of social networks increasingly contributing to mental health problems, particularly among young people, conference hears
‘There just isn’t enough of us’ - GP shortages mean greater pressure on doctors in a stretched health service
The demands of caring for an ageing population, the provision of out-of-hours services and getting locum cover are some of the issues deterring doctors from filling GP vacancies
Process for obtaining free GP visit cards needs to be simplified, says Donnelly
Less than 10 per cent of 400,000 newly eligible people have availed of scheme
Junior hospital doctors still working too many hours and lack adequate supports, says IMO
Survey by union found 83% routinely working hours in contravention of legislation
Leo Varadkar’s standing tarnished by ‘Leo the leak’ affair
Varadkar said he sent a friend a contract because he wanted to reach an agreement with the National Association of General Practitioners that would be similar to a Irish Medical Organisation deal
Even heroes are prone to burnout, particularly when their battles are ongoing, with little hope of resolution
Nine out of 10 doctors in Ireland experience mental health difficulties linked to their work and most keep this private because of fear of stigma. Almost 60 per cent have no time to eat, drink or use the toilet while at work
IMO threatens ballot of junior doctors over HSE recruitment freeze
Organisation says freeze, which was announced in October, makes deal struck with the HSE a year ago to address staff shortages and working conditions inoperable
Unions to meet on Friday to consider pay talks invitation
Invitation from Government on deal to replace Building Momentum, which expires at end of year, expected to be accepted
IMO calls for 5,000 additional hospital beds, including 1,600 next year
Health service needs to be fully digitised within five years, group says in pre-budget submission
Free GP care expansion to bring ‘substantial challenges’, doctors say
Irish Medical Organisation vice-president warns general practice capacity ‘very tight’ and extension of card scheme will add further pressure
430,000 to become eligible for GP visit cards in coming months as scheme expands
Process of allocating cards to people paid up to the median income is being staggered across income levels to ensure HSE has the capacity to process high number of applications expected
Nearly 300 hospital consultants take up public-only contracts
Government introduced new consultant contracts earlier this year amid opposition
Paul Murphy TD granted permission to pursue judicial review of Sipo complaint rejection
Judge ruled case met low threshold of containing legal grounds that are ‘arguable’
Procrastination on free GP care extension no longer an option for Coalition
With the next election starting to loom, the Government has finally reached a deal on the voter-friendly proposal, though at the elevated price tag of €130 million
Free GP care to be extended to 6- and 7-year olds from next month
About 430,000 people earning under median household income will also qualify for GP visit cards under changes
Vulnerable and older patients are losing out in overcrowded and understaffed medical settings
Calls for a ‘care partner’ scheme to be set up to enable residents in care – either in nursing homes or hospitals – to have at least one advocate to support them
‘Varied response’ to call for health staff to work over bank holiday weekend, says HSE boss
Bernard Gloster says seven-day working ‘isn’t just about the June bank holiday weekend’ as IMO warns bed capacity and doctor retention must be addressed
Irish food system ‘fuelling premature death and disability’ due to diet-related diseases – report
Lack of policies cause ‘ultra-processed foods and excessive red and processed meat’ to dominate
Covid payment given to 50,000 more frontline staff than expected
About €208m paid to 142,000 staff but small number still to receive payment, says Minister
Creches needed onsite for hospital workers in order to remove gender barriers, doctors say
Medicine is a 'female-dominated profession in a system designed for single, unattached males,’ IMO conference told
‘There’s only a certain number of patients you can see in a day’ - Doctors explain concerns around free GP care
‘Without funding a proper free-for-all health service there’s no point in giving more doctor visit cards’, say GPs at IMO conference
Minister Stephen Donnelly accuses doctors of lack of balance at IMO conference
Addressing IMO conference in Killarney, Donnelly pushes back against doctors’ reservations on free GP care and new consultant contract
Have your say: Have you experienced longer waiting times for GPs lately?
If you work at a GP’s practice or have been struggling to get an appointment we’d like to hear from you
Doctors claim Government failing to counteract ‘relentless pro-cannabis messaging’ in media
Group of top 21 doctors write letter arguing ‘avoidable misery’ is being caused by the drug – including record hospital admissions
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