Tag Archives: HSE

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has been notified of 32 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Clare’s figure of 369 has not increased in the latest figures. There have been no new deaths reported (HPSC) today. There has been a total of 1,746 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland. There is now a total of 25,670 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.  The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread. As of midnight on Monday, 523,277 tests have been carried out. Over the past week, 49,264 tests were carried out. 157 tests were positive, giving a positivity rate of 0.3%. Dr. Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “Knowing the symptoms of COVID-19 and making contact with your GP immediately is a crucial component to us identifying and containing this disease. “Symptoms associated with COVID-19 can be similar to other common ailments. I …

The HSE is urging the public to be vigilant in light of reports of a telephone/text scam from people claiming to be HSE contact tracing and testing staff. The fraudulent calls and text messages claim that the person has been identified as a close contact of someone who has Covid-19 and ask for money for a testing kit to be sent to them and for bank details. The HSE does not charge the public for Covid-19 related services, including testing, and such texts and calls should be ignored. Any close contacts of a confirmed positive case of Covid-19 will be contacted by phone call by the Contact Tracing Team or Public Health Staff in the HSE and referred for a test. The HSE does not charge or ask for payment for testing. If the Covid-19 Tracker App has identified you as a close contact you will see a red box with the advice on what you should do next on all …

Patients in the Ul Hospitals Group (ULHG) Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) at the University of Limerick (UL) are benefiting from a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to their ongoing rehabilitation when they are transferred to the facility from the group’s acute hospitals. The ICF was opened on June 8 in the reconfigured main hall of the UL Sport Arena, a fully equipped temporary hospital setting for non Covid-19 or post Covid-19 patients who no longer require acute medical attention, but who can benefit from ongoing rehabilitation and support before final discharge. In the ICF rehabilitation is the primary focus, based on a rounded, holistic vision of healthcare and wellbeing. Medical and healthcare expertise is directed toward supporting the patient’s readiness for discharge, not just physically building their strength and communication skills, but also preparing them mentally and helping to ensure their home or residential care setting is optimised before their discharge. The 68-bed ICF, which has capacity to scale up to 84 …

ONLY five healthcare workers were hired in the Mid-West following a national recruitment appeal during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, new figures have revealed. According to statistics obtained by Sinn Féin Health spokesperson Louise O’Reilly, only five healthcare staff were taken on through ‘Be On Call for Ireland’ in the region. They also show that just 185 health and social care workers have been hired through this scheme across the State out of 73,000 applicants. Deputy O’Reilly described the paltry recruitment of healthcare workers as “baffling”. “It beggars belief that with tens of thousands of health staff applying to work through ‘Be On Call for Ireland’ and in the face of an international healthcare crisis, that recruitment through the initiative has been so low,” she said. Dr Michael Harty said the recruitment of highly skilled qualified nurses, doctors and allied health professionals to permanent positions has been very patchy. The Kilmihil-based GP said several medics who assumed they would …

Former Minister of State Finian McGrath has been accused of not doing enough to provide day services for adults with disabilities during the Covid-19  lockdown. Councillor Ann Norton said Minister McGrath was still being paid as a minister of state during this period when it seemed as if he “disappeared off the planet”. The Clare Crusaders’ Clinic manager outlined her phone is “hopping” with calls from frustrated parents of adults and children with disabilities. The HSE stated recently that a national group representative of service users and families, providers and HSE are working together to prepare for the resumption of day service supports in line with Covid-19 guidance. Commenting on this plan, she described the lack of proper communication with parents of adults with disabilities during the lockdown as unacceptable. Councillor Norton stressed Minister McGrath should have done more to fast-track action to provide day services for people with disabilities during this period. “Finian McGrath has been a huge disappointment …

CLARE’S four community hospitals are among the beneficiaries of a donation of mobile devices from singer Niall Horan. The star pledged €100,000 specifically to support older people and staff in public long term residential care to help them stay in touch with their families. The tablets purchased with the funding will be available to residents at HSE-run facilities in Ennistymon, Kilrush, Ennis and Raheen, Scariff. Niall was inspired to do so when his cousins Patricia and Caroline sent him a photo of them talking on the phone to their granny outside her window and then decided to teach her how to use FaceTime. Seeing the positive impact it’s had on his granny inspired him to do the same for other older people. “So many elderly people are feeling vulnerable and isolated now more than ever,” said Niall. “Thousands of families have needed to be pulled apart, including my own. Not only does this initiative bring them back together, face to …

EXTREME thunder showers last Monday evening have prompted a ban on swimming in Ballyalla Lake, because of a spike in bacteria levels. Clare County Council and the HSE have issued the temporary swimming ban, which will remain in place until levels of bacteria drop. “The situation is being monitored regularly,” a council statement said. “The probation on swimming will be removed when the bacterial levels recede to acceptable levels. The elevated bacterial levels are as result of the extreme thunder showers which took place on Monday evening last.”

Thirteen months after resident GP Colm Hackett retired from private practice in Newmarket- on- Fergus, the HSE has finally found his successor. Dr Colum Galvin, the Principle Medical Director of Saffron and Blue Medical Centre in Clarecastle and a native of Ballynacally, will provide the GP service from Carrigoran’s Health and Wellness Centre, beginning on Monday, June 22. Dr Colm Hackett retired from practice in May of last year and in the interim the people of Newmarket-on-Fergus have been without a family doctor. Those that needed treatment had to travel to Dr. Yvonne Williams who was based at the Shannon Medical Centre. Locals were beginning to lose faith of a successor being appointed when the possibility of a new GP being in situ fell through last September. However, the long-running saga is now at an end. Local councillor Pat McMahon admitted it has taken a lot of time and work to finally get to this stage and the overriding emotions …