Tag Archives: Health Minister Stephen Donnelly

CLARE pharmacists are struggling to meet the “phenomenal” demand for Covid-19 vaccines for the 18 to 34-year-old cohort, with a lack of supply leaving young people facing waiting times. Last Friday’s unexpected announcement from Health Minister Stephen Donnelly confirming pharmacies would be administering the vaccine to this young cohort resulted in a huge volumes of calls for appointments, which resulted in regular patients experiencing difficulties getting through on phone lines to order medication. There was a huge surge in Kilkee where Sean Hurst of Hurst Pharmacy, estimated he had 4,500 enquiries due the huge influx of holidaymakers in the popular West Clare resort since the minister’s announcement. He said Kilkee has the capacity to take 25,000 holidaymakers and daytrippers over the weekend, who would all happily walk into his pharmacy for the vaccine following media reports vaccines would be made available last weekend. “It was phenomenal. People were ringing us from Ennis to get a vaccine. I am the only …

THE Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD, has today confirmed locations for 37 vaccination centres across Ireland for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, including the West County Hotel in Ennis and the Radisson Blu Hotel on the Ennis Road in Limerick. The centres have been confirmed by the HSE, with at least one in every county. These centres will support the vaccination of the general population in a safe and efficient manner. While currently vaccines are being administered in healthcare settings and by GPs, many people will be offered their vaccination in these centres, having self-registered online. All of the centres vary in size and operating hours and have been selected based on population density, ease of access, transport and parking. The design and layout of the centres also incorporates learnings from the COVID-19 swabbing centres. It is important to note that the centres will be of different sizes and operating hours will be based on vaccine supply and catchment area …

THE UL Hospitals’ Group has defended its management of administering vaccines against Covid-19 following concern over the disparity in distribution among hospital groups. Senator Martin Conway said certain questions remained unanswered in view of statements made by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly on this issue. He said it looks as if the national vaccination group approached all the hospital groups and asked them how many they needed to vaccinate and the micro management of the roll out was managed by the individual hospital group. “Why did Ennis Hospital receive vaccines initially and Nenagh Hospital didn’t? Why didn’t the mental health nurses get it? “How did the South West Hospital Group administer 19,000 and the UL Hospitals’ Group only 3,400 in the same period of time? “The group needs to supply details how many vaccines it requested in the first round and outline in chronological order step by step what engagement they had with the national immunisation task force and what number …

A Quin-based patient advocate has pledged to continue monitoring government plans to introduce legislation extending medical cards to any patient with a terminal diagnosis of up to two years. John Wall, who is living with prostate cancer, got a terminal diagnosis in July 2017. In March 2018, he travelled to University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven in Belgium, and admitted without this treatment in this public hospital, he wouldn’t be still alive. The air traffic controller said there is also need to make the application process to obtain a medical card and information provided to patients more user friendly. “The campaign doesn’t stop. I will be taking a break, but there is a body of work to be completed in terms of the application process for medical cards and the information that has to be provided to patients and their families.” John recalled the late Laura Brennan, Ennis, who campaigned extensively to increase the take up of the HPV vaccine, before she …

Deputy Michael McNamara has asked Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to provide a greater level of transparency concerning the number of Irish people who died from and with Covid-19. His call coincided with the publication of figures on Tuesday of 18 additional deaths related to Covid-19, one death occurred in October, 15 deaths in November and two are under investigation. Deputy McNamara has asked Minister Donnelly for a breakdown of patients who died primarily from Covid-19, those who died with Covid-19 but primarily from other causes and those who died from the virus, having acquired it in hospital. The Independent Deputy was told this is a matter for the HSE and was assured he will receive a reply in due course. He expects to receive a typical vague response from the HSE. The 14-day incidence rate of the virus continues to fall and remain relatively low in Clare. This rate, which had rocketed about 70% from September 17 to September 30, …

COUNCILLOR Cillian Murphy has requested actions to provide insulin pump therapy and Type One Diabetes Self-Management Education for  Clare adults with Type One diabetes. Speaking at a HSE West Forum meeting on Tuesday, Councillor Murphy asked the HSE if it could confirm whether diabetes dietitians and diabetes specialist nurses posts have been included by the UL Hospitals’ Group in their 2021 Budget Estimates. If this is the case, he wondered when would the public be informed when these vital posts were approved. UL Hospitals’ Group chief executive officer, Colette Cowan confirmed there is only one whole-time equivalent (WTE) consultant endocrinologist in UL Hospitals’ Group working with adult diabetic patients and noted a second consultant endocrinologist is due to commence in October 2020. The adult diabetes service is supported by a dedicated team of clinical nurse specialists (CNS) and staff nurses. Diabetic nurse support is available in St Johns, Ennis and University Maternity Hospital Limerick. In addition there are currently two …

HEALTH Minister Stephen Donnelly has been urged to ensure primary care team are adequately staffed to clear the “worrying” backlog of Clare people waiting for eye appointments. Figures released to Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne have revealed the adverse impact of Covid-19 on vital health services such as eye appointments. The current waiting list for Ophthalmology services across the Mid-West at the end of August showed 374 Clare people were waiting for an appointment. This includes 73 people waiting up to three months, 15 people waiting from three to six months, 147 people waiting from six to nine months, 93 waiting from nine to 12 months and 46 waiting more than one year to get an eye appointment. It compares to 243 people in total in Limerick who hadn’t got an eye appointment and just one less in North Tipperary contributing to 859 people waiting for this health service through the region. The figures also show there were 27 people in Limerick …

FEARS have been expressed about the serious implications any strike at University Hospital Limerick will have on patient care following the decision of the INMO to ballot for industrial action. Deputy Michael McNamara recalled there have been calls in recent months to reduce overcrowding in UHL and the need to increase medical facilities in smaller hospitals such as and Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals. The chairman of the Covid-19 Special Dáil Committee stressed the time for talking about these improvements was now over and it was time that action is taken to address serious shortcomings in UHL. If necessary, Deputy McNamara said Health Minister Stephen Donnelly should be asked to intervene to prevent the threatened strike. Deputy Violet Anne-Wynne called on Health Minister Donnelly to intervene in a bid to avert the threatened strike. She called for a recruitment campaign in UHL as staff like porters and cleaners are experiencing staff shortages. “I am shocked Minister Donnelly hasn’t stepped in already …