Almost a quarter of emergency department (ED) admissions could be potentially avoided in a better functioning health system, according to a new study indicating that some of those admissions are driven by deprivation, hospital practices, and health insurance coverage.

A study shows the number of fatalities from serious emergency conditions fell in the 13 years from 2002, the decline slowing considerably once the recession hit.

Today's Irish Examiner investigation should be the beginning of a wider-ranging look at the manifold variations of antidepressant prescription around the country, says Siobhán Barry.