Serious disease which people catch from air conditioning and hot tubs has increased in Ireland
There were 25 cases of legionnaires' disease notified in Ireland last year.
Eilish O'Regan
CervicalCheck scandal: Labs line up expert witnesses to challenge victim
The laboratories at the centre of the CervicalCheck scandal are to field a team of scientific experts to argue that cancer victim Ruth Morrissey's incorrect smear test results were not the result of a mistake.
State's offer of mediation through media 'deeply hurtful' says 'gravely-ill' mother whose cervical smears were 'misinterpreted'
A mother who has cervical and breast cancer after getting two incorrect smear test results has...
Ireland ranks 14th in the world for skin cancer risk
Ireland has been ranked 14th in the world in a new index showing how susceptible we are to skin cancer.
Volunteers give €649m in unpaid work to charities
Irish charities are being propped up by 300,000 unpaid volunteers giving €649m worth of labour annually, a new report reveals today.
Review of colonoscopies involving 65 patients has been ordered by Dublin hospital
A review of colonoscopies involving 65 patients has been ordered by a Dublin hospital, it was confirmed today.
Parents asked to reply by text if they want child to keep place on waiting list
The parents of children who can face a delay of up to three years to see an orthopaedic specialist for a condition such as scoliosis are being contacted by Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin in a waiting list deletion exercise to see if they want to remain in the queue, it was confirmed yesterday.
More face €60 GP bills due to loss of medical cards
The number of people with free GP cover has fallen this year despite Government promises to extend the benefit to more of the population.
CervicalCheck fears led to 43,690 GP visits in 10 weeks
The extent of fear generated by the CervicalCheck scandal is revealed in new figures showing 43,690 women attended their GPs in the space of just 10 weeks to get a smear test.
Measles cases spark alert for travellers to Europe
Families travelling to Europe on summer holidays should ensure they are vaccinated against measles as two cases of the disease have been confirmed this week in Dublin.
Patients have just days to respond to letters
Patients who have endured gruelling delays to see a specialist - sometimes lasting years - are only getting seven to 14 days to respond to a hospital letter asking if they want to remain on an...
Man with tumour in eye is three years on waiting list to see specialist
A man with a growing tumour in his eye has been waiting three-and-a-half years to see a specialist, highlighting the worrying long delays endured by hundreds of thousands of public patients.
Taoiseach condemns A&Es to be 'death zones' - doctors
The crisis in the health service looks set to persist and A&E departments will continue to operate in the “death zone”, based on the comments by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today, doctors have warned.
Offer of extra tests is extended by CervicalCheck
Women who want to avail of additional smear tests, outside their normal schedule, are to be offered free screening until the end of the year.
Talc maker told to pay €4bn after claims of cancer
The maker of a popular talcum powder sold in Ireland has defended its safety after a US court ordered it to pay $4.7bn (€4bn) to a group of 22 women who alleged the product caused their...
The Daily Digest
Psychiatric services poor relation in health system
For many years it was believed that all we needed to do was to close down our drab Victorian psychiatric hospitals and provide patients with modern and therapeutic living conditions to help their recovery.
Tragic mother's legacy is she saved other lives
The tragic case of Edel Kelly, which made national headlines a decade ago, was instrumental in the overhaul of cancer services in hospitals.
Staff concern leads to review of 65 colonoscopies
A vigilant member of staff who voiced safety concerns is behind a review of colonoscopies involving 65 patients at a Dublin hospital, it has emerged.
Dirty hospitals, patients spending hours alone: damning report exposes state of mental health services
A grim picture of our psychiatric services, where many patients must live in dirty hospital units and endure hours of seclusion behind locked doors is revealed in a damning report today.
Health Minister orders temporary suspension of vaginal mesh implants
The use of a controversial medical device used to control urinary incontinence and organ prolapse in women has been temporarily suspended, Health Minister Simon Harris announced today.
Fears for patients as MRSA cases on the rise
There are fears MRSA could take hold again in hospitals as new figures show the number of patients who fell victim to a bloodstream infection with the superbug rose for the first time in a decade last year.
Public alert as two cases of measles diagnosed in Dublin
The public has been warned to be vigilant for the signs of measles after two cases of the disease were notified in Dublin.
48 young people left homeless after State care
A significant number of young people aged between 18 and 22 who had been in State care were homeless last year.
Specialist cladding inspectors have been brought in to investigate five HSE run high-rise hospitals in the wake of Grenfell fire disaster
Specialist cladding inspectors have been brought in to investigate five HSE run high-rise hospitals in the wake of Grenfell fire disaster.
Rotunda MRSA outbreak in neo-natal intensive care unit contributed to deaths of babies
An outbreak of the MRSA superbug in the neonatal intensive care unit at Dublin's Rotunda hospital contributed to the severity of illness suffered by two babies, who died due to complications of being born premature.
Talks with GPs hit roadblock - posing an early headache for Sláintecare chief
Talks on a new contract with GPs, which is key to transforming the way the health service delivers care, appear to have hit another roadblock.
Outpatient delays worsen, but still no action plan
The number of patients enduring the longest delays of more than 18 months to see a specialist in an outpatient clinic has reached a new record, with more than 80,000 now in the queue for this gruelling length of time, new figures revealed yesterday.
10-point plan is unveiled to tackle the waiting lists for children with scoliosis
A 10-point plan to further reduce the waiting lists of children needing surgery for the severe spinal condition scoliosis will see two surgeons focus exclusively on these cases at the end of the year.
'Bertie Bowl' executive will earn €777,000 to lead health overhaul
A key figure in the ill-fated 'Bertie Bowl' who has been chosen to drive forward the plan to overhaul the health service will earn more than €777,100 during her five-year term.
263 given shock therapy
The numbers of psychiatric patients receiving electric shock therapy remains consistent, despite the introduction of rules safeguarding those who do not give their consent.
Ten-point plan to tackle scoliosis waiting lists will see 20 more staff hired
A new ten-point plan to tackle the ongoing waiting lists endured by children with scoliosis will see the hiring of twenty extra staff.
Taoiseach announces Laura Magahy to oversee 'Slaintecare' plan to overhaul health service
A leading light of the Celtic Tiger era, who was a key figure in the ill-fated ‘Bertie Bowl,’ has been chosen to take charge of the plan to transform the Irish health service.
Trolley crisis 'will get worse'
The "dehumanising" conditions endured by patients in A&E departments are in danger of getting worse next winter, doctors and nurses have warned.
'This is unacceptable' - bereaved husband hits out at bid to cap cancer victims' costs
A widower whose wife died of cancer has said the capping of expenses to victims of the CervicalCheck scandal is "unacceptable".
Healthy children were among the 222 killed by flu in winter season
A number of healthy children who had no underlying illnesses died from flu over the winter months, it was revealed yesterday.
Doctors want a set number of GPs to provide abortions
A specific number of trained and experienced GPs, rather than a widespread group, could be established to provide medical abortions, a doctors' leader has urged.
Government puts cap on expenses payouts to victims of cancer scandal
Women and bereaved families who are the victims of the CervicalCheck scandal are having their expenses package promised by the Government capped, it emerged yesterday.
Newest smear test 'could save many more women from cancer'
The introduction of more advanced smear testing has the potential to spare women in Ireland from going on to develop cervical cancer or dying of the disease, an international expert has said.
More than seven in ten recently recruited hospital consultants considering resigning over pay gap
More than seven in ten recently recruited hospital consultants warn they will consider resigning if the lower salary they are getting is not addressed.
Head of inquiry into cancer smear scandal hires spin doctors - at taxpayers' expense
THE head of the inquiry into the CervicalCheck scandal has hired a firm of private spin doctors - paid for by the taxpayer.
Sperm donors will not be able to remain anonymous
People who donate sperm, eggs or an embryo for use by infertile couples will no longer be able to remain anonymous and will have to provide personal information for a register.
Harris tells women they must fund their private smear tests
Women who opted to go private and pay for cervical screening in the wake of the CervicalCheck scandal have been told they will not be reimbursed.
Children's hospital opening date delayed
The opening of the new national children's hospital has been delayed again and it will now not be ready until late 2022.
Amount of performance enhancers seized rose four-fold in just a year
The illegal use of anabolic steroids by athletes seeking to enhance performance, and men wanting a more muscular body, is believed to be at an all-time high in Ireland.
Sprinter tested positive for Stanozolol in Olympic scandal
Disgraced sprinter Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold medal in the 100m at the 1988 Seoul Olympics after he tested positive for the steroid Stanozolol.
Disclosure will be mandatory under law, vows Harris
Health professionals will be forced to sign up to mandatory disclosure of "serious patient safety incidents" under proposed legislation.
'I'm not scared, just heartbroken' - cancer now in Emma's brain
Heartbroken mother-of-five Emma Mhic Mhathúna, whose cancer has spread to her brain, is determined to create a new family home for her children amid the stunning beauty of west Kerry.
Opening of new children's hospital further delayed
The opening of the new national children's hospital has been delayed again and it will now not be ready until late 2022.
New blood-thinner drugs a safer way to cut stroke risks
Thousands of Irish patients who take blood-thinning drugs to reduce their risk of stroke have been reassured by a new study showing the more modern therapies are a safe alternative to the older medicine warfarin.
Heart attack death rates much higher in some hospitals
A number of hospitals have significantly higher death rates due to heart attacks and strokes than the national average, according to a new report from the Department of Health.
Fourteen sexual attacks blamed on children under 13
At least 14 of the alleged sex attackers blamed for assaults last year were children under 13 years of age.
Elderly waiting on list for home care up by 1,000
The list of older people waiting for HSE home care support has risen to 6,458 - up from 5,418 a year ago.
Birth rates continue to fall as baby boom wanes
Ireland's baby boom is continuing to wane, with only two counties slightly bucking the trend.
Prefab cath lab earmarked for hospital
A heart examination cath lab, located in a prefab, is to be installed at University Hospital Waterford to provide advanced diagnostic and follow-up care to cardiac patients.
Hospital Consultants say they will consider industrial action if pay gap that 'poisoned morale' is not addressed
Hospital consultants have hinted they will consider the “last resort” of industrial action if the pay gap which discriminates against recently recruited doctors is not addressed.
Heatwave skin cancer warning for farmers
Skin cancer now accounts for nearly one in three forms of the disease diagnosed in men annually – in many cases as a result of sun exposure linked to their outdoor jobs in farming and construction.
€80,000 pay package for 'part-time' HSE chair
The new chairman of the HSE is to be paid €400,000 over their term for working only up to two days a week.
Heart attack patients facing a postcode lottery for treatment
IRISH heart attack patients are facing a treatment postcode lottery.
'I did it for my children' - Terminally ill Emma settles case against HSE and US laboratory for €7.5m
MOTHER-OF-FIVE Emma Mhic Mhathúna, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016 having previously received two incorrect smear results, has secured a €7.5m settlement after taking legal action.
Mercury dental fillings set to be phased out
Mercury fillings are being phased out from Sunday and will no longer be used as dental treatment for children under 15 or pregnant and breastfeeding women unless deemed strictly necessary.
Electric-shock therapy 'positive'
People who have electric- shock treatment for depression against their will have similar outcomes to those who undergo it voluntarily, according to a major new study by Trinity College.
Children with scoliosis facing three-year delay to see health specialist
Children with scoliosis requiring an outpatient appointment to see an orthopaedic surgeon are waiting up to three years in some cases.
Access to care for dementia must improve, says Owen
Former justice minister Nora Owen has called for more supports for families caring for a loved one with dementia.
Revealed: 15 legal abortions carried out last year in Ireland
Fifteen abortions were legally carried out in Ireland last year, including two where the woman was at risk of suicide, new figures revealed today.
Two-year delays in assessments of special needs
Children with special needs who are waiting to be assessed are facing delays of more than two years in some parts of the country, the Oireachtas health committee has been told.
Concerns over delay in birth defect drug cases
A High Court judge has expressed concern at the slow progress of around 26 cases of people suing for compensation over the thalidomide drug.
Twenty doctors referred to medical watchdog over substance abuse
Substance abuse was cited as the reason 20 doctors were referred to a special health committee of their regulatory body last year.
CervicalCheck pays almost €7m a year to three screening labs
CervicalCheck is paying out nearly €7m a year to the three labs contracted to carry out screening, new documents reveal.
'Never any lull in A&E': trolley crisis now lasts all year round
Flu season seems like a distant memory, but hundreds of patients are still languishing on hospital trolleys around the country.
HSE must delay roll-out of more accurate cervical screening test
The introduction of a more accurate test to reduce the risk of a woman getting a wrong cervical screening result and developing cancer has had to be delayed, the Irish Independent has learned.
Most CervicalCheck victims still waiting for €2,000 payment a month on
Only around 50 women who were victims of the CervicalCheck scandal have so far received a €2,000 ex-gratia payment, the HSE has confirmed.
CervicalCheck victims gather to give personal accounts to the Scally inquiry
A group of about 100 victims of the CervicalCheck scandal, including relatives of those who died, gathered at a private location yesterday to give confidential accounts of their ordeal to inquiry chief Dr Gabriel Scally and his team.
Women endure year-long wait to see gynaecologist
Doctors have been warned women seeking a routine appointment to see a gynaecologist in the Coombe Hospital, Dublin, will have to wait a year or more.
Foster children left at risk by living with teenagers not vetted by gardaí
An inspection of foster families has found some children are living in homes where not all young adults in the house are Garda vetted, a report revealed yesterday.
Hospital staff asked to clean drugs unit claim they developed occupational asthma from fumes
Two pharmaceutical technicians are taking legal action against the HSE claiming they developed occupational asthma, leaving them out of work for two years, after they were asked to clean a cancer drug preparation unit using a powerful agent.
State watchdog says nursing home complaints have doubled
The number of complaints about private nursing homes has more than doubled in the space of a year, the Ombudsman's latest annual report reveals.
Contrition and remorse must be replaced by effective action
Stolen childhood and official regret. Too many reports have exposed how our troubled social services have let down our most vulnerable children.
Children 'left at risk' by Tusla shortcomings
The cases of 65 children who were allegedly sexually abused had to be escalated for further investigation on the instructions of inspectors sent in to probe Tusla.
Children at risk of sexual abuse left in danger by serious weaknesses in social services - damning report
Children in danger of sexual abuse are being left at risk by serious weaknesses in social services, a damning report revealed today.
Addicts lose sight of normal relationships
The decision of the World Heath Organisation to designate gaming addiction as a mental health disorder will help those for whom the activity is causing them to neglect other areas of their life, a leading psychiatrist has claimed.
Tusla 'doesn't work efficiently with gardaí in abuse probes'
A probe into Tusla's management of child abuse cases has found that the Child and Family Agency does not work efficiently with gardaí.
Number of children waiting to see specialist for more than 18 months hits record high
The number of children enduring a wait of more than a year-and-a-half to see a specialist has breached 10,000 for the first time.
'Bureaucracy gone mad' - top psychiatrist and son of former president quits HSE
The son of former President Patrick Hillery has resigned from his post as a psychiatrist in the HSE in protest at the state of mental health services which left him "ethically compromised".
'Not compulsory' for HSE staff to attend Scally probe
The HSE is not making it compulsory for its staff to give evidence to the Scally scoping inquiry investigating the CervicalCheck scandal.
Drug that shrank Vicky's tumour should be made available to all - leading oncologists
Two leading oncologists are calling for wider access to a drug which cervical cancer sufferer Vicky Phelan revealed had reduced her tumours.
Doctors' €72,000 pay hike but will their patients benefit?
Hospital consultants who are on course for a pay rise of up to €72,000 will finally get the salaries they signed up to a decade ago under a so called "new era" work contract.
Hospital consultants to get pay-rises of up to €72k in windfall
Thousands of hospital consultants are to get a €200m back-money windfall.
HSE chief blames doctors for sufferers being left in the dark
The acting head of the HSE blamed doctors for not passing on audits to women who developed cervical cancer after getting an incorrect smear test.
Elderly endure terror of neglect and abuse by their own children
The number of elderly people subjected to neglect and psychological and financial exploitation at the hands of their own children is on the rise.
CervicalCheck crisis toll set to grow as 46 more cases examined
The tragic toll of women who developed cervical cancer after receiving a wrong smear test result is set to rise again, after it emerged that an audit of 46 more cases notified to CervicalCheck is under way.
CervicalCheck facing surge of claims from women who developed cancer after smear test all-clear
CervicalCheck is facing a surge in legal actions from women who developed cervical cancer after wrongly getting a smear test all-clear , it emerged today.
Loneliness affects young as badly as old, says taskforce
Loneliness is as prevalent in the young as the old - it just manifests itself differently, a new report has revealed.
Women face 12-week wait for results due to extra work for labs
Anxious women waiting for the results of smear tests are facing delays of up to 12 weeks after a surge in demand for screening in the wake of the CervicalCheck scandal.
Officials can't be forced to give evidence to inquiry
The medical expert heading the inquiry into the CervicalCheck scandal has admitted he does not have the power to force any health official or laboratory staff to give evidence.
Hospital outpatient waiting list soars to record 511,904
THE number of public patients on outpatient waiting lists has surged again, with 511,904 now in the queue to see a specialist.
Expert leading CervicalCheck probe warns of 'stonewalling'
The medical expert heading the inquiry into the CervicalCheck scandal warned it is facing major blockages because of a failure to release crucial documents.
Almost 50pc of Irish people describe themselves as overweight or obese
We are fatter than we think - although nearly half of us say we are either overweight or obese.
Watchdog warns care of suicidal children needs to be improved
Ombudsman for Children Niall Muldoon said he is concerned at the care of suicidal children.
Public list of GPs providing abortion 'now likely'
A public list of GPs who are registered to provide medical abortions may be necessary to ensure women looking for a termination are not left confused about where to get the service, it emerged yesterday.
Private eyes are on the trail of doctors instead of cheating husbands
They are more usually found snooping on cheating husbands or checking out dodgy personal injury claims - but earlier this year private detectives were covertly tracking the movements of some of our leading hospital consultants.
Sinn Féin defends hospital consultants in patients row
A Sinn Féin TD who previously deplored the "culture of deference" to hospital consultants who breach their public contract has now described the decision to put a private detective on them as "disturbing".
Vasectomy funds for year spent by March, warns GP
The funding to provide vasectomies has already been used up in some parts of the country, despite the Government's promise to extend measures to prevent crisis pregnancies.
'No security of tenure' for nursing home residents
Nursing homes should not be allowed to ask an elderly resident to leave, even if their relatives are proving difficult to deal with, Ombudsman Peter Tyndall has warned.
Treatment of anorexia patients was unsafe, report finds
Some of the care and treatment of seriously physically ill patients with anorexia nervosa admitted to the Lois Bridges treatment facility in Sutton, Dublin, was inadequate and unsafe, according to an inspector's report.
Probe into hearing expert's work will now involve 1,000 children
A probe into an audiologist who left children with severe hearing problems struggling to learn and be understood is to be extended with a review involving 1,000 youngsters.
Number of Irish women going to UK for abortions fell in 2017
More than 2,570 women from the Republic of Ireland had abortions in the UK last year up to the 12th week of pregnancy.
Some of care and treatment in centre for eating disorders was 'inadequate and unsafe' - watchdog
Some of the care and treatment of seriously physically ill residents with anorexia nervosa admitted to the Lois Bridges treatment facility in Sutton, Dublin was inadequate and unsafe, according to a watchdog report.
'Games being played' over release of CervicalCheck files
A grieving husband is furious at delays in the release of information relating to victims of the CervicalCheck scandal.
Here's how quickly a car gets dangerously hot in the sun - and it's faster than you'd think
Cars parked in the sun on a hot day can reach dangerously high temperatures in just one hour, a new study has revealed.
Overwhelmed A&E consultants plead for beds as 430 patients on trolleys and they warn crisis will get worse
A&E consultants who were faced with 430 patients on trolleys today pleaded: ‘Where are the new hospital beds’?
BowelScreen made secret compensation payout to cancer patient
A secret compensation payout has already been made by the BowelScreen service arising out of a failed investigation procedure, it was learned yesterday.
Sex abuse children hurt by investigation delays - report
Some children who have been sexually abused are being further traumatised by having to undergo multiple interviews, a damning report has revealed.
How vitamin tablets could be hurting your health
More is not better when it comes to taking vitamin pills, a watchdog has warned.
GPs warn of potential errors with abortion scans service
Ultrasound machines used by GPs to examine women seeking a medical abortion need to be reliable, otherwise there is a risk of a reading error similar to mistakes made by CervicalCheck, a leading GP has warned.
Chemo 'not needed' by 70pc of women with breast cancer
Thousands of breast cancer patients may be safely spared gruelling chemotherapy following a landmark study.