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Tag Archives: Kathleen Lynch

Suicide Prevention Strategy launched

The new Suicide Prevention Strategy ‘Connecting for Life’ has been launched Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Primary and Social Care Kathleen Lynch. Dr Shari McDaid, director of Mental Health Reform, the national coalition on mental health, said, “It is positive that the strategy is described as a plan for the whole of Government because reducing suicide and self-harm requires action to influence the full range of health, social and economic factors that increase risk. Implementation of the strategy’s commitment to collaboration and coordination across departments will be key to its success.” “In Mental Health Reform’s submission to the National Office for Suicide Prevention last year, we had recommended that the new strategy include a plan to ensure that 24/7 crisis intervention be available in every mental health service. The current lack of 24/7 crisis supports in some areas is an issue that people have raised again this year at our public consultation meetings and one which needs urgent action. …

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European investment in Primary Care

Health Minister Leo Varadkar and Minister of State for Primary and Social Care Kathleen Lynch have described the European Investment Bank’s decision to invest €70 million in 14 Primary Care centres as a breakthrough for investment in primary care and great news for patients around the country. The EIB said today it has approved a €70 million loan in principle to invest in the Public Private Partnership project for Primary Care Centres. This represents up to 50% of the finance required to deliver primary care centres at 14 locations in Ireland. The EIB will provide cheaper funding than would be otherwise available. The EIB Board has earmarked the Irish Primary Care Centres as the first projects in Ireland expected to benefit from financing under the European Fund for Strategic Investment, a new initiative seeking to support €315 billion of new investment across Europe and to be managed by the EIB. Since March 2011, 44 Primary Care centres have already opened …

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New haemochromatosis patients’ service

MINISTER of State at the Department of Health Kathleen Lynch has launched the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS ) service to haemochromatosis patients in Munster. BTS has been providing a service for haemochromatosis patients since 2007 when a dedicated service was opened at the Stillorgan clinic in Dublin. This clinic has reached capacity and is treating about 650 patients in total. In 2013 there were 1205 phlebotomies which yielded 967 productive donations. Last August a general access service for patients was established at the IBTS D’Olier Street fixed centre clinic, for the first time providing a service to patients who are not eligible to be blood donors, as well as for those who could donate. “Since opening 148 patients have attended, 131 have been treated. 80% of these patients have decided to become donors and are now on the regular donor programme,” said Andy Kelly, chief executive of the IBTS. As part of the roll out of the national programme, …

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