New HSE head should not be appointed until legal accountability reforms complete

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called on the Minister for Health to appoint a new head of the HSE on an interim basis – and to only fill the post permanently once key accountability reforms are carried out. Deputy Shortall said: “At the heart of the Cervical Check crisis is a lack of […]

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Support programmes for parents must be part of revised sex education curriculum

The Social Democrats today said the forthcoming review of the relationship and sexuality curriculum in schools must also lead to the introduction of support programmes for parents and guardians. Welcoming the announcement that a review of the curriculum is to be carried out, the party’s political director Anne-Marie McNally said: “Relationship and sexuality education in […]

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No sense of urgency from Government about crisis in Health

According to Social Democrats co-leader, Róisín Shortall TD, “today’s shocking hospital waiting lists of 687,000 people are a new record and represent a huge failing on the part of Government.  Providing a decent health service where people can get timely treatment, on the basis of need, is a basic requirement of any civilised country.  Yet […]

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HSE computer glitch shows need for improved health technology systems

The HSE computer glitch which has potentially affected some 25,000 patients was an avoidable mistake that could have been caught earlier had the right systems been in place, the Social Democrats said today. Galway West candidate, Niall Ó Tuathail, who is a health reform adviser with the NHS, said: “This flaw was an avoidable mistake. […]

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Passing the buck over funding for life-saving drugs must be resolved so patients do not suffer

The Department of Health and the HSE need to stop passing the buck over funding for nine life-saving drugs so that public patients do not suffer, Róisín Shortall TD said today. Deputy Shortall made her comments following reports that the Department of Health and the HSE were at odds over whether the executive has sufficient […]

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Critical HSE audit shows deeply flawed public-private healthcare model

A critical HSE audit into financial practices at the National Maternity Hospital highlights everything that is wrong with our public-private healthcare model, according to Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall. Deputy Shortall was commenting on a HSE audit which found that the publicly-funded National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street subsidised the cash flow of a semi-private […]

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