Ageing population takes its toll on Ireland’s health system
With the proportion of elderly people increasing as the population rises, how will the country cope with the health implications of these changing demographics?
Hospital overcrowding
Clinical director at Limerick hospital where Aoife Johnston died placed on leave due to ‘serious risk’ to patients
Prof Brian Lenehan, suspended in the wake of reports into death of the Co Clare teenager, told the High Court that decision to suspend him lacks reason
Man died after waiting 11 hours to be seen by doctor in Tallaght Hospital ED, inquest hears
Coroner notes ‘extremely challenging’ work environment facing hospital staff as she returns misadventure verdict
Aoife Johnston: Report into teenager’s ‘avoidable’ death warns of ‘risk of reoccurrence’ at UHL
Teenager died of meningitis after she was left for more than 13 hours at Limerick hospital without antibiotic treatment, report finds
Aoife Johnston timeline: Antibiotics for sepsis not given until 13½ hours after arriving at Limerick hospital
Investigation sets out order of events for what happened after teenager’s arrival at UHL emergency department
Aoife Johnston report: Death of girl (16) at UHL was in circumstances ‘almost certainly avoidable’, investigation finds
Johnston (16) died of meningitis after she was left for more than 13 hours at UHL without ‘vital’ antibiotic treatment, report finds
Ageing Ireland: What can the Government do to deal with a rising and older population?
As key services in education, health, housing and transport struggle with increasing demand, plans are being devised to deal with pressures from rising immigration and people living longer
University Hospital Limerick has ‘management issue’ resulting in overcrowding, says Donnelly
Minister for Health says ‘the kind of reforms that have worked in other hospitals are not fully rolled out in UHL’
University Hospital Limerick overcrowding: HSE is warned many issues are at heart of problem
Decision to postpone scheduled care is ‘abandonment of the people’ in the midwest, says IHCA
University Hospital Limerick overcrowding: Reduction in scheduled care a short-term answer creating long-term problems
While health watchdog Hiqa assesses whether the midwest requires a second ED, the latest moves suggest the answer is obvious
Adding services for older people in EDs could save €2.4 billion, research finds
Early assessment and intervention by dedicated teams of health and social care professionals could lead to shorter stays in hospital
Almost 3,000 new inpatient hospital beds to be delivered by 2031, says Donnelly
Shortage of beds leading to overcrowding problems experienced in hospitals such as Limerick, unions says
Plan to provide 1,500 new hospital beds by 2028 to be outlined today
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly expected to make announcement on Wednesday, with a further tranche of more hospital beds likely to be scheduled for between 2028 and 2030
Ireland has fewer critical-care beds than European norm, report shows
Occupancy of intensive care units regularly exceed recommended levels
Almost 240 patients died in UHL emergency department over past five years
Figures emerge amid increased scrutiny of hospital’s safety record following Aoife Johnston case
Community care programme leading to ‘very significant’ improvements in waiting lists
HSE sees 16% reduction in hospital admissions for those with chronic diseases in the five years to 2023
Just how unsafe are emergency departments in Irish hospitals?
Dr Muiris Houston: University Hospital Limerick has been a black spot for many years, while Beaumont is a good example of how a hospital can turn things around
HSE tells suppliers it can ‘no longer sustain’ price increases
HSE officers issues letter saying price increases hitting funds needed for patient care ‘in a growing challenging environment’
Could patients be seen by hospital consultants in their own homes?
A hospital consultant explains how health professionals can deliver hospital-level care in people’s homes with the help of digital diagnostic and monitoring devices
Target waiting times for cancer tests not being met, specialists warn
Open letter to Taoiseach points to insufficient investment in infrastructure, and radiotherapy services operating ‘significantly below’ capacity
‘Productivity challenges’ must be overcome following hospital activity report, says Donnelly
Minister of Health says investments in health funding and staff has already resulted in falling waiting lists
Billions in extra health funding not leading to higher activity in hospitals, report finds
New report published along with plan to achieve savings of about €550m and boost productivity in health sector
Hospital waiting lists may take up to a decade to clear, consultants warn
New figures show 463,000 waiting for treatment outside official targets but Department of Health says progress being made
Patients and staff enduring ‘pretty awful conditions’ in some EDs, says HSE chief
Demand for services in EDs rose 12% in early part of year
What’s wrong with University Hospital Limerick?
The midwest hospital, serving a population of about 400,000, is considered one of the worst blackspots in the Irish health service. That’s despite large increases in spending and staffing
Frontline health services ‘coming under pressure’ due to recruitment freeze, says Donnelly
Minister for Health tells Dáil he had to ‘challenge back’ HSE to certain extent, where there was ‘culture of additionality’
‘English is the biggest barrier’ - Ukrainian doctors shut out of working in the Irish healthcare system
Hundreds, if not thousands, of doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals face a long road before they can work in their chosen field
Children’s scoliosis waiting lists fall despite Temple Street controversy
Dáil to debate Sinn Fein motion this week calling for taskforce to review scoliosis and spina bifida services
Consultants criticise lack of commitment to open more hospital beds in HSE plan
National service plan for 2024 states cost of running services will exceed available funding
Limerick hospital overcrowding continues as acting chief takes up role
Some 124 patients waiting for admission on Friday, the second highest figure recorded in an Irish hospital
‘It’s so draining’: Frequency of hospital moves for junior doctors takes its toll
Like thousands of other junior doctors, Dr Brian Doyle has rotated every six or 12 months between hospitals to build up his skills
Facts ‘don’t support narrative’ of Irish doctors collectively emigrating to Australia, says Minister
More than 80% of medical interns from 2015-2018 are now back working in Ireland, says HSE
‘Unacceptable and dangerous’: Limerick hospital sets overcrowding record with 150 waiting for beds
Nursing union says persistent overcrowding damaging morale of staff trying to provide safe care in ‘an extremely trying environment’
Cork University Hospital’s emergency department ‘running at over 300% capacity’
Hospital has massive capacity issue and is ill-equipped to deal with winter surge in patient numbers, warns head of emergency medicine body
Slow-building crisis in North’s health system keeps excess deaths ‘off the radar’, says senior doctor
Emergency medicine consultant Russell McLaughlin draws a comparison with lives lost at the height of the Troubles to illustrate the crisis facing Northern Ireland’s health service
‘Mundane, repetitive tasks’ should be performed by nurses, not junior doctors, says Medical Council
Medical Council says 2016 deal to transfer common tasks to nurses has not been implemented
Only six a day on trolleys at Limerick ED, Donnelly says, in contrast with INMO numbers
Nurses’ ‘trolley watch’ numbers suggest 42 people were awaiting admission as organisation counts differently to HSE
Minister warns rise in flu and Covid cases will increase pressure on hospitals
Stephen Donnelly says there were 80 per cent fewer patients waiting on trolleys over Christmas weekend, compared to same period in 2022
Emergency departments see 80% rise in patients with flu or Covid, HSE figures show
There are currently 30 outbreaks of Covid in hospitals and 24 in nursing homes
New antibody treatment for RSV in infants highly effective in reducing hospitalisations
Call to extend immunisation programme for babies based on trial outcome in UK, France and Germany
Letterkenny hospital tells staff not to ask patients to lie on floor after man suffers injuries
Directive comes in wake of incident in which man injured after falling twice in the emergency department
Nurses’ union says 2023 is worst year on record for hospital overcrowding
So far this year 121,526 patients have been admitted to hospital without a bed, says INMO
New investigation ordered into death of teenager at Limerick hospital
Retired judge Mr Justice Frank Clarke appointed to investigate death of Aoife Johnston (16) after lengthy wait in UHL last December
Rising numbers of children on trolleys in hospitals, nursing union warns
Overcrowding in paediatric hospitals leaves ‘simply no way’ to safely treat sick children, INMO says
Emergency department overcrowding: ‘People get left behind because there’s nobody at home’
On one day during a visit to St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny, 70 per cent of patients are aged over 65
More than 1,000 hospital consultants sign up for new public-only contract
One in every four consultants in health service now on contract, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly says
No cuts to health services next year despite ‘guaranteed deficit’, HSE chief says
Recruitment of additional staff being capped, not cut, HSE chief executive tells Oireachtas health committee
Hospital overcrowding: People ‘terrified’ of going to University Hospital Limerick emergency department
Overcrowding at UHL has got steadily worse, says campaigner Marie McMahon, as hospital sets record for patients on trolleys
Health funding row one of many big political challenges on horizon
Inside politics: Gravity of the flooding in east Cork has stunned Ministers and the response is changing almost daily
‘Savings and efficiencies’ needed in health budget, senior officials acknowledge
Robert Watt, secretary general of the Department of Health, says productivity gains are needed in health service
Widow of man who died in UHL says she would rather die at home than attend ‘persistently dangerous’ Limerick hospital
Marie McMahon’s husband died in 2018 after he spent 36 hours on a trolley with stroke-like symptoms
Record number of patients recorded on trolleys in Limerick hospital
Total of 130 people were waiting for admission on Monday morning, nursing union says
Patients ‘at risk of death’ due to conditions in Letterkenny hospital, doctors warn
Hospital is in crisis over deteriorating conditions and lack of resources, say consultants and GPs in Donegal
Health service faces winter of huge strain as Donnelly to seek savings of more than €600m
Minister’s demand for more productivity from hospitals follows budget talks that yielded additional €800m despite request for €2bn
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