THE number of patients seeking treatment for drug and alcohol abuse has jumped dramatically since the onset of the recession, according to family doctors.

FAMILY doctors have described the first phase in the roll-out of the Health Service Executive (HSE) swine flu vaccination programme as “chaotic” and “flawed”.

NO agreement has been reached between family doctors and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to administer the swine flu vaccine despite HSE plans to commence the vaccination programme in two weeks.

DOCTORS and health service employers have said they are confident there will be a breakthrough in the ‘doctor only’ card row so the scheme can soon become operational.

Claire O’Sullivan

GPS HAVE no grounds to boycott the 200,000 doctor-only cards which are due to come on stream next month, according to Tánaiste Mary Harney.

Doctors serving the country's jails threatened mass resignation tonight unless the Prison Service meets demands to improve health care for inmates.

ARMY doctors were drafted in to treat 1,500 prisoners yesterday after a female prisoner attempted suicide and no prompt emergency cover was available.

DOCTORS in the eastern region were paid for treating 12,419 dead patients because health boards failed to remove names of the deceased from medical card holder lists.

A WAR of words has erupted between the author of the Brennan Report and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) amid claims the report could sabotage the National Health Strategy.

GPs, junior doctors and consultants are set to withdraw co-operation from health boards and health agencies in an escalation of action supporting striking public health doctors.

THE country is facing widespread chaos as hundreds of GPs and junior hospital doctors threatened to strike after Micheál Martin accused striking public health doctors of jeopardising lives.