University Hospital Waterford has apologised in court to a six-year-old boy left brain damaged just before his second birthday after the High Court heard there was a “profound misdiagnosis “ of his chickenpox infection.

Doctors refused to invest in SouthDoc, an out-of-hours service involving around 500 GPs, despite claims that it was financially “on its knees”, an employment appeals tribunal (EAT) has heard.

THE Dublin coroner has recommended that emergency services in the south-east be reviewed to ensure ambulances are properly directed to patients’ homes.

ONLY two of the countries nine GP co-operatives require Garda clearance for locums staffing their out-of- hours service, and seven areas of the country are without any out-of-hours service.

Healthcare officials today insisted they were unaware of any risks for a family of four who were found dead in their home.

A reference card for mental health services in the south of the country has been drawn up in a bid to prevent suicides, it was confirmed today.

LISMORE’S elected public representatives are seeking an urgent meeting with Health Minister Mary Harney to deliver a clinic.

A 17-YEAR-OLD school girl with no apparent history of illness has died of heart failure a week after developing flu-like symptoms.

THE family of the woman whose emaciated body was removed from her daughter’s house a week before her death yesterday said they had been unaware of her condition.

WATERFORD is to have a dedicated out-of-hours doctor service within a fortnight with the launch of the cooperative Caredoc system.

WATERFORD City and county will finally receive CAREDOC co-op services from April, ending a four-year wait for the scheme.