1 IN 3 AT EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT NECESSARY IRISH HEALTHY HABITS INCREASING

Irish people are eating healthier and smoking less, according to a new report from the OECD. The latest Health at a Glance 2022 report reveals that Ireland tops the EU for daily consumption of fruit and vegetables. Across all EU states, just 12% of adults consume the recommended five or more portions per day, but 33% of Irish people reach this target. There are also significantly fewer Irish people who smoke, according to the report. In 2020, almost one in five adults (19%) across EU countries smoked daily, in comparison to 16% of adults in Ireland.

Smoking rates have dropped by 8% here, down from 24% in 2010: the second largest drop across EU countries behind only Estonia, which saw its smoking rates fall from 27% in 2010 to 18% in 2020. While individual choices regarding health are covered, the report also highlights the threat posed by air pollution and climate change, which increases the risk of serious health problems including respiratory diseases, lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases and leukaemia.

Exposure to fine particulate matter is estimated to have caused 307,000 deaths in 2019 across EU countries, with mortality rates highest in Central and Eastern Europe, where premature death rates are 50% higher than the EU average of 69 per 100,000. Ireland had one of the lowest rates (27 per 100,000), behind only Iceland (14 per 100,000) and Norway (23 per 100,000).

Minister Hails Cancer Advances

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly marked World Cancer Day in February by highlighting a new report that says Ireland’s increased five-year cancer survival rates are indicative of “high-quality care”.

A recently published profile of the country by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the European Cancer Inequalities Registry shows the per capita mortality for nine of the 10 most common cancers between 2011 and 2019, with the mortality rate reduced by 14% for men and 13% for women.

For the first time, the number of patients living after an invasive cancer diagnosis has exceeded the 200,000-mark, equivalent to one in 24 people in Ireland.

Progress continues via the roll-out of Ireland’s National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026, which was supported by an additional €20million in funding in 2021 and again in 2022.

These improved outcomes are the result of significant investment in cancer services and supports, including prevention and screening.

Minister Donnelly lauded this progress, saying: “We have made significant strides in recent years, providing access to revolutionary new therapies, appointing additional acute oncology nurses to help cancer patients avoid EDs, and we’re now easing the financial burden through the abolition of all public hospital inpatient charges.

“Tackling cancer is a mammoth task, but we are seeing progress, and I’m heartened that we are reporting increased survival rates and seeing more people live longer with, and beyond, cancer.”

Health Claim Costs Examination

An Interdepartmental Working Group will be set up to investigate the escalating cost of health-related claims and consider mechanisms to reduce costs.

The Group will examine the rising cost of clinical negligence claims in the health system, with a particular focus on high-value claims. Considerations will include developing a plan to implement risk management and other initiatives to reduce the occurrence of adverse incidents and to recommend measures to address patient concerns. The Group will also examine the health system’s involvement in the claims process, in particular its role in the provision of evidence/medical records with a view towards streamlining the process.

Consultant Obstetrician and Specialist in Foetal Medicine Dr Rhona Mahony will independently chair the Group, which will be comprised of members from across key Government departments and agencies.

DEFENCE FORCES €5M DOCTOR BILL

The Defence Forces spent more than €5million on agency doctors from 2019 to 2022. The expenditure grew from €1.3m in 2019 to €1.4m in 2020 and €1.5m a year later. The figure to November 2022 stood at €995,841. The expenditure comes in the context of recruitment di iculties regarding medical o icers. Meanwhile, the military medicine training scheme is set to continue, providing dual qualifications in military medicine and general practice, with the first trainee due to complete the full cycle of training in April.

IN-PATIENT CHARGES BILL PUBLISHED

Hse Nas Paramedic Recruitment Campaign

The HSE has launched a recruitment campaign to create a National supplementary panel for student paramedics in the National Ambulance Service on the Paramedic Training Programme.

The campaign aims to appoint a pool of qualified paramedics licensed to practice by the PreHospital Emergency Care Council who will be o ered positions at the grade of Paramedic.

Assessment of applicants took place at the start of March, with interviews commencing on 17 April.

Successful applicants will be enrolled in a three-year, paid degree-level programme at the NAS College.

The Government o icially approved the scrapping of in-patient hospital charges in January. The publication of the General Scheme of the Health (Abolition of Public In-Patient Charges) Bill 2023 will remove the acute public in-patient charge of €80 per day, up to a maximum of €800 in a year (including day-case charges), for people accessing care as a public patient in all public hospitals. Announcing publication of the new legislation, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said: “I am delighted to receive Government approval to publish the General Scheme of this important Bill. This draft legislation, when finalised and enacted, will remove for everybody the existing financial burden of public in-patient charges when accessing care.

“This measure builds on the abolition of public in-patient charges for children, and is another significant step in ensuring that people have access to a ordable healthcare services.”