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In his time as Minister for Health, the former Taoiseach Brian Cowen once famously referred to the Department of Health…
The spiralling cost of the new national children’s hospital will have negative consequences for other badly-needed healthcare projects, writes Dr Muiris Houston
Public health doctors were not a happy group towards the end of last year. The group were becoming increasingly frustrated at the continuing pay disparity between themselves and other specialists and their lack of consultant status. Not only that, but they were not even permitted to see the Review of Public Health Medicine, commissioned by the Department of Health and conducted by the consultancy firm Crowe, regarding the future of the specialty.
Dr Lucia Gannon writes that far from making people healthier, diets are ineffective in terms of sustained weight loss and can actually be harmful
Dr Muiris Houston is not very optimistic about improvements for people working in primary care in 2019 and warns about the problem of burnout
George Winter questions the scientific basis of psychiatry and wonders about the future of the speciality
As usual, the HSE published its service plan just when most people were turning their attention away from the news towards the reprieve of the Christmas period. Although the completion of the plan has to abide by certain timelines, it is almost as if the Executive doesn’t want a detailed and forensic examination of its annual mission statement.
Dr Christine O’Malley comes up with some wishes for the next 12 months
Dr Pat Harrold notes down his hopes and fears for the year ahead
In a year dominated by women’s health issues, it is fitting that this last Medical Independent of 2018 contains an interview with the first female Chair of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Dr Cliona Murphy speaks about the central role doctors played in the referendum campaign to repeal the Eighth Amendment and her own decision to advocate for a ‘yes’ vote. She said many medical professionals felt it was their duty to give a voice to “those women who would not be strong enough to stand up and give their personal stories”.
Being kind to yourself and others is a hallmark of the Christmas period, writes Dr Lucia Gannon
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