PLANS to have the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) involved in a new scheme to remedy a situation where public patients are having to wait up to seven years to see a specialist have been welcomed by the Irish Patients Association.

Catherine Shanahan

GENERAL Practitioners say the latest report on the health service reinforces their call for the Government to act to provide affordable healthcare.

DRUGS similar to the arthritis drug Vioxx, which has been withdrawn because of a possible risk of heart attack and stroke, are to be reviewed by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) on Monday.

PATIENTS who pay to see their family doctor are not put off by cost but visit their GP less often than medical card holders, a survey has found.

A GROWING trend for doctors to use nurses who are employed by drug companies has been attacked by patients’ groups and a leading pharmacist.

IRELAND is facing a major shortage of GPs, a doctors’ group warned yesterday.

IRELAND remains vulnerable to a major mumps outbreak because of the disappointingly low uptake of the vaccine, a doctor warned yesterday.

ALMOST one-in-three family doctors has been attacked or threatened by patients over the last 12 months, an Irish Medical Times (IMT) survey says.

REFORM of health service structures will make no difference to patients unless there is more investment in the system, a top health official insisted yesterday.