Portlaoise hospital criticised in new report

Fewer than one in six patient complaints to the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise, is dealt with in the target time of 30 days, according to an unpublished HSE report.

Concerns over the hospital’s inability to deal with complaints and requests for information were identified by the hospital manager on 16 separate occasions between 2011 and 2014, but there was little evidence of any “purposeful action”, it says

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HSE disability unit told to transfer patients

A HSE-run care unit for people with disabilities was told to cease admissions and transfer residents that it was unable to care for following a highly critical inspection report.

Inspectors from the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) conducted an unannounced inspection of St Peter’s Services in Castlepollard, Co Westmeath last December following concerns over the safety and welfare of residents.

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Half of young Irish may have mental disorder

MORE than half young people may have a form of mental health disorder before the age of 25, according to a new study. The conditions are mostly mood disorders, anxiety, abnormal eating habits and alcohol abuse, said the research published in the 'Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine'.
The study involved a representative sample of 212 young people from schools in north Dublin, interviewing them at aged 12-15 and following them up when they were 19-24 years old.
The research found 28.4pc had mood disorders, 27.1pc suffered anxiety and 22.7pc had substance abuse disorders. One in four had more than one problem..
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Plan under review to tackle hospital overcrowding

Reform of funding arrangements for Fair Deal nursing home scheme a key element. ealth service chiefs and Government officials are working on a multimillion euro plan aimed at tackling hospital overcrowding and delayed discharges.

Highly placed sources said a key element of the initiative would be reforming funding for the Fair Deal nursing home scheme. The move may involve ending the annual funding cap for Fair Deal and making the scheme “demand-led

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Interlibrary loans and other IOTs and Colleges running Nursing Degrees

As interlibrary loans from other Irish Institutes of technology are free for students and staff, I have included a list of the other IOT's which also have nursing programs below.






Schools of Nursing in the IOT sector Ireland:
Athlone Institute of Technology,
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
Waterford Instute of Technology
Letterkenny Institute of Technology

Dundalk Institute of Technology

Tralee Institute of Technology

Other Nursing programs are also run in the following third level Institutions in Irleand.

Dublin City University

National University of Ireland Galway

University College Cork

University of Limerick

Trinity College Dublin

Finding Enjoyment in the Workweek

As I wake up to a rainy, cold Monday morning, I notice the time, think about my agenda, and prepare to face the day. Yet, I also notice that I am excited for what today will bring. Thinking about all the “stuff” that needs to get done doesn’t overwhelm me. In fact, I feel energized and motivated.
What’s my problem? Well, I didn’t slip Bailey’s into my coffee this morning, or win the lottery last night. No, I am fortunate enough to find enjoyment in my day-to-day routine, a routine which includes meditation, physical activity, and positive self-statements. The best part is that setting aside as little as five minutes per day for myself and my well-being can make all the difference in how I approach the day, which, of course, influences how my day approaches me...
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One Twin Exercises, the Other Doesn’t

Identical twins in Finland who shared the same sports and other physical activities as youngsters but different exercise habits as adults soon developed quite different bodies and brains, according to a fascinating new study that highlights the extent to which exercise shapes our health, even in people who have identical genes and nurturing.
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Breaking the Cycle of Emotional Abandonment

If you’re discontented in a relationship or go from one to another or even remain unhappily alone, you may be caught in a worsening cycle of abandonment.
People tend to think of abandonment as something physical, like neglect. Loss of physical closeness due to death, divorce, and illness is also an emotional abandonment. It also happens when our emotional needs aren’t being met in the relationship — including in our relationship with ourselves. And although loss of physical closeness can lead to emotional abandonment, the reverse isn’t true. Physical closeness doesn’t mean our emotional needs will be met. Emotional abandonment may happen when the other person is right beside us.
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The Far-Reaching Effects of a Fall

Although statistics show that most falls occur in the home and that older people, especially those with chronic illnesses or failing senses, are the most frequent victims, there is no shortage of such mishaps on wintry streets for both young and old. Especially not this winter, and especially not in cities and towns like Atlanta where experience negotiating ice and slush under foot is limited.

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Doctors’ group objects to anonymous donor ban

A group representing obstetricians has said the Government’s proposed ban on anonymous sperm and egg donations would cause legal uncertainty for medics.

In a letter to TDs and Senators, the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said the change could “drive donor conception underground” and that there had been inadequate public consultation on it.

The Children and Family Relationships Bill, which completed committee stage in the Oireachtas last week, requires that every donor-conceived child be given the opportunity to identify their donor once they have reached 18

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A new study finds following a pro-vegetarian diet

You may want to spend a little more time in the produce aisle than at the meat counter this week.

A new study finds following a pro-vegetarian diet may significantly cut your risk of heart disease and stroke. Researchers analyzed the eating and lifestyle habits of more than 450,000 men and women between 35 and 70 years of age. They tracked their consumption of plant-based versus animal-based food groups for more than 12 years on average.

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Performance of some services now facing closer examination

Major geographical variations in outcomes and performance within the health service are revealed in a new Department of Health report.

The findings of the report are subject to numerous caveats but they still give us an indication as to what areas of the service are working and where there may be room for improvement.

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