Tag Archives: HSE

  Clare County Council, on the advice of the HSE, has today (Friday lifted restrictions relating to public bathing at Whitestrand Doonbeg. Notices indicating that swimming is prohibited at the beach were originally put in place on Wednesday due to the detection of elevated levels of bacteria (e-coli) in the bathing water. On the advice of the HSE and following analysis of water samples taken on Wednesday and Thursday,the council announced the lifting of all restrictions relating to bathing at Whitestrand Doonbeg. The suspected source of the e-coli is run-off from surrounding land during heavy rainfall on Sunday evening and Monday morning. Clare County Council says bathing water testing protocols will continue throughout the bathing season. Meanwhile, lifeguard cover at Clare’s Blue Flag beaches, including Whitestrand Doonbeg, commences during the June Bank Holiday Weekend. Cover will continue on Saturdays and Sundays during the month of June. There will be full-time time cover at these locations, as well as at Bishops …

A SLIGHT majority of Clare GPs are in favour of repealing the Eighth Amendment on the eve of Friday’s national referendum. While national opinion polls have shown a lead for the Yes side in the lead-up to the referendum, local GPs are almost equally divided on this question, with 11 in favour and nine against. According to a Clare Champion survey, seven local doctors who responded will be exercising their right to apply a conscientious objection to delivering a termination. It also emerged that of the 20 GPs surveyed, none were consulted by the Health Service Executive or the Department of Health about how terminations will be carried out in their practice. The Minister for Health Simon Harris has consistently stated he would like to see a GP-led service for the termination of pregnancy, if introduced in the country. Eleven GPs who were surveyed agreed with the idea of unrestricted permission to terminate a pregnancy up to 12 weeks, without …

Clare County Council, on the advice of the Health Service Executive (HSE), has announced that due to elevated levels of bacteria (e-coli) in the bathing water arising from heavy rainfall on Sunday night and Monday morning, swimming is prohibited at Whitestrand Doonbeg. Public bathing notices indicating that swimming is prohibited are being put in place.The councilis carrying out an investigation into the cause of the pollution. Clare County Council is hopeful that the restrictions could be lifted for the weekend pending that water test results from today and tomorrow are deemed by the HSE to be within bathing water quality limits. None of Clare’s other designated bathing waters are affected.

Fifteen Clare children suffered from blistering and mouth ulcers following the contamination of water containers with diluted drain cleaner at the Ennis Dental Clinic, a new report has revealed. In total, 43 children and four Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) medical card patients were exposed to the water supply on October 4 and 5, according to an inconclusive HSE investigation. This contamination resulted in fifteen children suffering adverse localised symptoms ranging from mild burning sensation to blistering and ulceration of the mouth. The report acknowledges that the treatment experience for the children was “devastating” and that it may have a psychological effect on them and their families, and in their confidence in the dental service going forward. On the afternoon of October 5, it was established that the water supplying the dental equipment in the Ennis Dental Clinic was contaminated. A bottle of red streak, a liquid pipe opener/cleaner containing Potassium Hydroxide 5% was found in a cupboard in the Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD) room and considered to be the …

SCREENING is understood to be underway at St Flannan’s College in Ennis, after a case of tuberculosis (TB) was identified at the school. While the HSE would not comment on individual cases, it stated that in incidences where there is a diagnosis of TB, an investigation is carried out to find out if there are any other cases. “The Department of Public Health does not comment on the management or investigation of individual cases of tuberculosis. All cases are managed and investigated as per national guidance. Although tuberculosis is contagious (ie, can spread from one person to another), it’s not easy to catch,” a HSE spokesperson stated. TB usually affects the lungs but can affect other parts of the body and is usually spread in the air. According to the HSE, if a person is diagnosed with TB, the person is offered treatment as soon as possible. When a case of TB is notified to the Department of Public Health, …

All HSE Health Services in the Mid-West Region will be on standby with other agencies, to monitor the progress of the severe weather forecast for Ireland this week. A status YELLOW weather advisory is in place in this area and it is expected both ground and air temperatures will be well below normal. Bernard Gloster, chief officer HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare and chair of the Health Service Mid-West Crisis Management Team for Major Emergencies, said, “The type of weather forecast is always of concern. Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists can experience particular additional risks while travelling. We are asking people to be safe. As a particular additional reques, we are asking people to check on the most vulnerable. The elderly, those living alone, and those compromised by medical or social circumstances can experience severe weather in a much more harmful way than the rest of the community.” For further advice and information please visit www.winterready.ie , listen to media for weather reports and updates and be aware that …

THE incidence of tuberculosis in the Mid-West fell from 26 to eight over a 12-month period, it has been confirmed There were 26 cases of tuberculosis in the Mid-West in 2016, despite a decline in overall rates over the last five decades. Dr Rose Fitzgerald explained how there are variations in the number of cases every year and noted this year the numbers had fallen to just eight cases. “We have been having about 15 or 16 cases of TB annually; we had more last year and less this year. TB takes a long time to develop, so you can get variations from year to year. “We are seeing drug-resistance for treating TB, which is a real problem. Sometimes people will get TB that is resistant to one drug, which can be easily enough managed. “Sometimes you can get TB that is resistant to a number of drugs and you can get one that is extremely drug resistant, which is …

All 120 registered beds in the public elderly care facility St Joseph’s Hospital are to be registered again, following the outcome of a long and complex regulatory process. “The decision announced today (Thursday) by the HSE is fantastic news for St Joseph’s, its staff, the local community and for the users of the facility,” commented Senator Martin Conway. “This confirmation shows the hard work and commitment of those working in St Joseph’s and the HSE to make sure the necessary changes were put in place so that this positive result could be achieved. “I have no doubt that the staff and management in St. Joseph’s will continue to make improvements and that they will strive to ensure they are a patient focused facility.The centre is currently earmarked for a major new build by 2021 under the Capital Programme approved by Government and I look forward to following the development of St. Joseph’s over the next few years,” the Fine Gael …