Irish Patients' Association

Health Reform Some Benchmarks for its Success’s 14th May 2013

IPA — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:56:49 +0000

Health Reform Some Benchmarks for its Success’s

The Irish Patients’ Association today welcomes the announcement by the Minister for Health to reform our acute hospital system particularly the stated commitment to

Better patient safety
Better Patient Care
Better Value for Money

Many reforms have been heralded as examples of excellence and failed to deliver.

Stephen McMahon CEO of the Irish Patients Associations said “Troikaitis dictates that the Government and its Minister must deliver the hard transparent evidence of performance in this reform and that those who fail in the delivery of these deliverables are held to account if they fail to meet objectives. We earnestly hope this is the final solution not just for Patient Safety and Value for Money but also equity of access”

The challenge to improve access to health care for public patients is the very issue that will create a political challenge to sell into private patients to buy in to a public system that has the following waiting.

15% of public patients are waiting for their 1^st appointment to see a hospital consultant

5% of public patients are waiting more than a year for an outpatient appointment to see a consultant

A few days ago a national survey by ICGP of nearly 300 GPs found that the average wait times following their referral;

Private Patients Public Patients

Ultrasound Test average wait 4 Days 98 Days

(Where direct access was available)

CT Scans 5.5 Days 112 Days

MRI Scan 7 Days 154 Days

These are the benchmarks that will provide the evidence of Minister Reilly’s success and legacy.

“Change and Reform in our health care system must not by preceded by preventable funerals and injury to patients”

Litany of waste across HSE laid bare as €721m is slashed from budget

IPA — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:52:33 +0000

Staff got paid for weekend shifts when unit was shut

A LITANY of waste and value- for-money failings across key areas such as staffing, patient transport, drug payments and computer systems has been revealed in a series of confidential internal audits carried out by the HSE. The audits, obtained by the Irish Independent, come as the health service is forced to inflict cuts of more than €721m this year, including withdrawing medical cards from 40,000 people.

To Read full Article Please click here

HSE salary overpayments top €1.7m

IPA — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:48:21 +0000

The figure is €27,000 below the corresponding figure for 2011 when the cost of salary over- payments was €1.748 million, and substantially below the 2010 figure when the cost was €5.043 million.

Over payments can occur for a variety of reasons including: Late notification of changes to staff work patterns; payments made when sick leave pay has been exhausted; late notice of resignations; and administration errors in payroll departments.

To Read full Article Please click here

Health technology assessments (HTAs)

IPA — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:31:16 +0000

HTA scheduled surgical Procedures Report April 2013 please click here

HTA Varicose-Vein Report April 2013 please click here

HTA Grommet insertion and adenoidectomy Report April 2013 please click here

HTA Tonsillectomy Report April 2013 please click here

HTA Cataract-Surgery Report April 2013 please click here

INMO Live Trolley & Ward Watch

IPA — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:06:59 +0000

INMO Launch Live Trolley and Ward watch figures for hospitals throughout Ireland

To View Live Trolley & Ward Watch Please click here

National Consumer Agency Prescription Medicines Price Study 2013

IPA — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:28:36 +0000

To Read Prescription Medicines Price Study please Click here

European Health Forum gastein

IPA — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:10:09 +0000

To Read full Report (Crisis and opportunity Health in an age of austerity) and Stephen Mc Mahons Input Please click here

Fear of advocacy funding cut has ‘chilling effect’

IPA — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:52:07 +0000

Advocacy experts have warned that slashing funding to interest groups could damage society and said many in the sector believed their funding was at risk if they were too critical of Government departments and State agencies.

The Advocacy Initiative, itself funded by Atlantic Philanthropies, said fears of funding cuts were having “a chilling effect” on the sector. The organisation made its comments following a week in which the Irish Patients’ Association was informed by the HSE that its core funding will disappear from next April.

To Read Article in full Please click here

Patients’ support group faces closure as €117k funding axed

IPA — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:30:23 +0000

THE country’s main patient advocacy group is at risk of closure after the the Health Service Executive (HSE) axed €117,000 in annual funding.

The Irish Patients’ Association has warned that around 500 cases involving tragedies such as unexplained deaths, injuries and late diagnoses are in danger of being impacted by the cuts. Chief executive Stephen McMahon said it is almost entirely dependent on the HSE funding to carry out its work .

To Read Full Article Please click here

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Health Billy Kelleher Speaks up for Irish Patients Association

IPA — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:40:57 +0000

To Read full Press Release from Fianna Fail Please click here

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Health Billy Kelleher has described the cutting of funding to the Irish Patients Association as shameful.

Deputy Kelleher said: “I read with disbelief the news that Minister Reilly would axe the funding to the independent voice of the Irish Patients Association.