Health – Page 10 – Slugger O'Toole

“If you vaccinate we will obliterate 75% of cervical cancers…”

Mick Fealty on November 17, 2008, 12:04 pm

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From Gavin featuring Consultant Oncologist Professor John Crown of St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin who argues the Government is deliberately muddying the waters over it’s decision to cut the cervical cancer vaccine programme that was only announced in August. Mr Crown has clashed with the government before. Most notably last year when he was dropped at the very last minute from an edition of the Late Late Show in controversial circumstances. Crown is pretty straightforward in his criticism: “There …

Baby P and the need for a ‘reasoned’ debate…

Mick Fealty on November 14, 2008, 11:45 pm

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Over at Brassneck I’ve a piece on how the politicisation of the Baby P case is likely to be detrimental to finding a solution to one of the most intractable forms of homicide in Britain… Jennie Bristow has another angle on the politicisation of the Victoria Climbié case that’s worth reading in conjunction… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular …

Should NI women have NHS access to abortion..?

Mick Fealty on October 24, 2008, 4:09 am

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Few Northern Irish issues have stimulated debate elsewhere in the blogosphere like the failed attempt by Diane Abbot to get the provisions of the 1967 Abortion Act extended to Northern Ireland. Over at the Fabian Next Left Blog, Sunder Katwala lays out a couple of thoughts: (1) As well as the Commons voting, at some point in the future, on extending the 1967 Act to Northern Ireland, perhaps there is a good case to put another ‘stepping stone’ reform on …

“in defiance of political opinion in the North..”

Pete Baker on October 20, 2008, 4:03 pm

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Ahead of Wednesday scheduled debate in the Commons on equalising “the right to have access to safe and legal abortion” across the UK, in the Irish Times, Frank Millar mentions the contrast in governmental attitude to other recent debates on rights and equality.. DUP junior minister Jeffrey Donaldson last week suggested that any attempt to liberalise the law in Northern Ireland would trigger “a constitutional crisis” and could “put an end” to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Few senior figures at …

“the right to have access to safe and legal abortion..”

Pete Baker on October 13, 2008, 5:45 pm

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Mick’s note on the Brit Blog Round Up, and the use there of a quote, from the comments zone here, on Hazel Blears’ discomforture on Hearts and Minds last week.. “Anyone who saw Hazel Blears’ discomfiture when asked about her voting intentions on Hearts and Minds can see the problem facing many Labour MPs, especially women like Blears, Harman, Hewitt etc. who made their names as women’s rights activists and are now being asked to say they believe a woman’s …

Brit blog round up 191…

Mick Fealty on October 13, 2008, 4:23 pm

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A truly awesome Brit Blog Round Up from Redmption Blues. She raises a number of topics, not least the abortion non debate in Northern Ireland, a few thoughts on which I hope to kick in later today. Good reportage and some warm words on the Slugger Awards too… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across …

“Destroying our immune system..”

Pete Baker on September 29, 2008, 9:55 pm

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DUP MLA, Iris Robinson, who chairs the Assembly’s Health Committee, appeared on Stormont Live today only to talk about the Health Minister’s announcement on prescription charges. But the notable part of the interview was her interesting, if un-scientific, view of the problems caused by the over-proscribing of antibiotics [1min 40secs in] “We’re not handing out antibiotics the way we used to, and I’m glad of that, because we’re destroying our immune system[‘s ability] to face up to other difficult bugs …

“My plea is simply for honesty..”

Pete Baker on July 23, 2008, 11:25 pm

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There are no signs yet from the Health Minister on whether he intends to continue Peter Hain’s alternative remedy clinical trial scam self-assessing pilot scheme administered by Get Well UK – that pilot scheme should have ended in February this year. The BBC is, I hope, suitably embarrassed by the propaganda they broadcast in May. The use of public funds to provide un-proven treatments is only one aspect of the Un-Enlightenment involved. Another is highlighted in an exchange between Edzard …

“and practising alternative medicine..”

Pete Baker on July 22, 2008, 7:47 pm

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Mick’s somewhat more serious-minded reaction to the news of Radovan Karadzic’s arrest in Belgrade is on Brassneck but I just can’t get past the intriguing factoid revealed in this Guardian report. Whilst RTÉ merely describes “Karadzic [as having] been working in a medical clinic”, the Guardian report provides a link to the alternative medicine involved. Karadzic had been using a “very persuasive” false identity and was practising alternative medicine at a private GP’s surgery in the city. That Un-Enlightenment is …

“They let a female civil servant take the heat..”

Pete Baker on July 17, 2008, 4:17 pm

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The Assembly having rejected, in October last year, the previously proposed Department of Health draft guidelines on termination of pregnancy, the Health Minister Department of Health have now re-drafted those guidelines – guidelines which took 3 years to draft and which the Department, after a lengthy court battle, had to be instructed by a High Court ruling to produce. The newly proposed draft guidelines are available at the Department’s website [direct pdf link here]. As the “spokesperson for the DHSSPS” …

I’m sorry, I’ll just say that twice…

Mick Fealty on June 11, 2008, 2:33 am

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This apparently arcane matter is nonetheless worth noting, not least for the way it highlights the low level civil war that’s been going on in the Chamber between the SDLP’s only Minister and the Sinn Fein Assembly party. The matter in question is a parity piece of legislation designed to bring certain matters in line with Westminster, with the Minister using ‘accelerated passage’ (ie avoiding the committee stage) to get it through before recess. She’s clearly expecting an attack beforehand …

‘Long Live the Small Acute Hospital’

Mick Fealty on May 13, 2008, 10:11 pm

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Cuirean Anton Mac Cába ar plé ábhar mór conspóide a bainnean le oispidéil beaga ar fud an Tuaisceart Éireann agus in áiteanna eile thar a domhan (apologies in advance of the lack of an English translation):le hAnton Mac Is ábhar mór conspóide (controversy) é ceist seirbhísí in oispidéil áitiúla (local) i mbailte tuaithe. Tá fhios againn sin anseo, leis an rud a tharla do na hoispidéil i nDún Geanainn agus ansin ar an Ómaigh. Sin an fáth go bhfuil an …

“new taoiseach’s in-tray is heavy with problems..”

Pete Baker on May 7, 2008, 4:45 pm

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Out-going Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s final public engagement wasn’t at the Boyne yesterday, it was at Arbour Hill today where, as RTÉ reports, “along with President Mary McAleese, he attended the national commemoration for the leaders of the 1916 Rising” – More here. The new leader of Fianna Fáil, Brian Cowen, is to be confirmed as the next Taoiseach later today and, while some focus may be on a limited reshuffle of the cabinet, the Irish Examiner’s Paul O’Brien sets out …

“It’s not an easy truth to swallow..”

Pete Baker on May 5, 2008, 5:24 pm

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After last week’s excellent programme on The Great Girona Gold Hunt, the BBC 1 Northern Ireland 9pm slot tonight may be a disappointment. Get Well Northern Ireland “examines a one year pilot scheme – the Get Well Scheme – which operated in two clinics in Northern Ireland until March 2008.” That’s the scheme launched by Peter Hain, “a user of complementary medicine [him]self”.. The programme producer, Ronan McCloskey, is quoted here as saying, “Without a doubt the therapies featured in …

The Un-Enlightenment continues..

Pete Baker on April 28, 2008, 6:46 pm

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When out-going Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, complained of a “growing hesitation” to reference religious belief in public debate I argued that “the only issue of matter is whether any argument put forward is rational.” As this recent case proves supernatural beliefs can conflict with necessary medical treatment. And there is an attempt to influence public policy in this area. As this Irish Times report notes, the author of Health Research Board-funded report from Trinity College Dublin’s Irish School of Ecumenics – …

“my statement today gives only a first outline of the proposals..”

Pete Baker on February 4, 2008, 10:15 pm

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It’s possibly worthwhile emphasising that the reports, and here, and reactions to the Health minister’s statement in the Assembly today [pdf file] are based on what the minister describes as “only a first outline of the proposals”. Those proposals have been under review for some time.. During which some changes were left in place. In the process the designated Chief Executive of the single Health Authority, which it is now proposed be called a Board, has moved on.. From today’s …

Healthy teeth, happy smile

Turgon on January 21, 2008, 10:40 pm

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Interesting one in the Impartial Reporter (incidentally surely the best name for a newspaper ever) about the lack of dentists in Fermanagh. Of course this problem is not confined to Fermanagh and there are difficulties seeing dentists throughout the UK.The gradual collapse of NHS dentistry has been an ongoing crisis in slow motion. To begin to understand it one must remember that dentists are not employed by the NHS. They are private professionals who traditionally did most of their work …

“a number of significant differences from the draft plans..”

Pete Baker on January 21, 2008, 8:59 pm

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We should find out tomorrow what differences there actually are between the Draft Budget and the one which is now reported to have been agreed by the Executive this morning – in a decision postponed from last week. And what effect the oppositional campaign has had. For now, though, we have this report stating Details of the spending plans will be outlined by Finance minister Peter Robinson on the floor of the Assembly tomorrow morning. It is understood the final …

Oppositional campaign continues

Pete Baker on November 26, 2007, 4:41 pm

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Northern Ireland’s oppositionally-inclined Minister for Health, the UUP’s Michael McGimpsey, is stepping up his campaign for public support in opposition to the Executive’s Draft Budget, telling the BBC’s Politics Show that a proposed new women and children’s hospital could be delayed due to a lack of available funds. Meanwhile his party colleague, Basil McCrea has been telling Mark Devenport that the party may have to do some “hard thinking” about its position in the Executive if the budgetary issues are …

“This is exactly the sort of development I have been fearing..”

Pete Baker on November 23, 2007, 5:17 pm

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The apparently oppositionally-inclined Minister for Health, the UUP’s Michael McGimpsey, will face more questions today from the Chair of the Assembly’s Health Committee, the DUP’s Iris Robinson.. Not about his “outdated political dogma” – Eamonn McCann has some fun with that in the Belfast Telegraph – but on the resignation of David Sissling as Chief Executive designate of the proposed single Health and Social Care Authority. No doubt the delays in implementing reforms played a major part in his decision. …