Tag Archives: Sláintecare

CLARE will provide a “blueprint” for the rollout of Lympoedema Specialist Clinics across the country with the first service of its kind in primary care being piloted in Ennis. The Lymphoedema Specialist Clinic in Clare is opening to support and manage people with this progressive, disabling chronic condition. Lymphoedema is a chronic long-term condition that causes swelling in the body’s tissue. This can lead to pain and a loss of mobility. Lymphoedema can severely impact quality of life and lead to complications if not diagnosed early and managed correctly. The new clinic, opening on May 10, will bring together a nurse, physiotherapist and a therapy assistant to offer lymphoedema assessments, treatment and supported self-care. The clinic will also provide treatment for lipoedema which requires similar management to lymphoedema. The service will be accessible for people in the county of Clare, population 118,800, where there is a potential 308 lymphoedema patients. Children and young people with lymphoedema will also be seen …

PROVIDING free care to children who tend to be the healthiest in the population in preference to the most vulnerable makes no clinical or economic sense, according to a local doctor. Dr Michael Harty has questioned a recent government decision, which provides GP care without fees to six and seven year-olds and the basis for further phased extension of GP care without fees to all children 12 years in the coming years. The new bill also provides for the implementation of an increase in the weekly gross medical card income limits for those aged 70 or older to €550 for individuals and €1,050 for couples. Dr Harty has pointed out there is no evidence that the general health of patients under six years have had substantial health benefit from being provided with free GP care. Public health initiatives regarding health diet, exercise and weight control are best delivered through education, public health measures and media campaigns. The former chairman of …

EFFORTS must continue to reduce the incidence of Covid-19 to ensure that in excess of 1,200 people don’t die from this disease in Ireland in three weeks’ time, a local doctor has warned. Dr Michael Harty has appealed to people to stay at home, the elderly to “cocoon” and others to self-isolate for 14 days if they have any symptoms to try and reduce the worrying rising death rate in the country. Having tracked the Covid-19 figures in different countries, he said the death rate in Ireland is 15 people per million compared to 207 per million in Italy. The Kilmihil-based GP expressed concern about the increase in the number of patients requiring ventilation from 77 on Tuesday to 107 on Wednesday and this doesn’t include another 37 in ICU. If a large number of people get Covid-19 around the same period, he warned ICU will be overwhelmed very quickly despite of extensive efforts to double capacity in the public …