Reilly’ rejects HSE 2012 Service Plan: pure optics and a damage limitation exercise
Having received a hammering from the print media over the holiday period, Minister James Reilly took a media offensive on 5 January 2012 on RTE Radio with appearances on the Pat Kenny show and an interview with Fergal Bowers on the News at One. In my opinion, these media appearances were a combination of damage limitation and pure optics… (more…)
New year, new intentions…
I have been very remiss about blogging, just too much going on and not enough hours in the day but I am full of good intentions for 2012.
My hope is to post a weekly audio of my radio slot and or blog the content, so am starting with this weeks.
My main excuse is that I am hoping to complete my PhD by June 2012 and therefore I have to stay focussed on that and I hope by declaring my deadline publicly it will keep me on target.
My weekly blog will be light relief from my PhD! here’s hoping….
Minister Reilly to lift restrictions on GPs who can treat medical card holders
On 14 September, Minister James Reilly announced that he had got Cabinet approval to lift restrictions on GPs treating patients with medical cards. So will this make it easier for people to access GPs and drive down high costs of GP visits? (more…)
Waiting for others to die – the only way to get a nursing home bed
HSE figures released today (1 September) reveal that 1,100 older people who are medically in need of a nursing home place and have been through a rigorous financial assessment are languishing on a waiting list for that bed. When the Nursing Home Support Scheme (the so-called Fair Deal) was launched less than two years ago it was heralded as “accessible, affordable and anxiety free”. Obviously it is proving to be none of these (it is not accessible for those on the waiting list, it is not affordable for the State as it as run out of money and it is not anxiety free for the older people and their families who wait for a nursing home bed) so what does the Fair Deal waiting list mean for those on it and why is there a waiting list? (more…)
Uphill struggle ahead as Reilly finishes first term in health
As the political season ends and James Reilly gives an upbeat speech to the MacGill summer school, immense challenges face him now and when the autumn season begins… (more…)
Consultants excluded from 15% voluntary pay cut….
It was reported in the Irish Times (24 June 2011) that hospital consultants and or their representative bodies lobbied the minister for health, James Reilly, so as not to be included in the 15% voluntary pay waiver announced by Minister of Public Expenditure and Reform on Wednesday last (22 June 2011). This was refuted by both a spokesperson for the Minister of Health and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (known as PER). So why are consultants excluded and who earns what in the public health system?
Eliminating health inequalities. A Matter of Life and Death
See here for link to new tasc report on health inequalities which I co-authored with Sinead Pentony, head of policy in tasc. And here for the press release. Good timing given the launch of consultation for a new public health strategy yesterday. Challenge now is to see how new government can improve public health, eliminate health inequalities as well as introduce universal health insurance and free GP for all by 2016…
No surprise that ‘Fair Deal’ has run out of money
Just 20 months old, the nursing home support scheme (named the Fair Deal) has run out of money, so what will happen older people in need of nursing home care and why are we only hearing about this now? (more…)
Whither the new children’s hospital?
Today, 12 May 2011, news broke of the resignation of Ailish Hardiman, the CEO of the children’s hospital planning board and co-incidentally Minister Reilly published information of the independent review to be carried out on the cost and location of the hospital. So whither the children’s hospital from here? (more…)
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