Galway Bay FM News Archives
One third of consultants break private patients rule
Date Published: 26-May-2011
By Denise McNamara
One third of consultant doctors at University Hospital Galway (UHG) see more private inpatients than is permitted under the terms of their public services contracts, while one in four are treating too many private outpatients.
The figures from the Health Service Executive (HSE) are a major cause for concern given the numbers of patients forced to wait for treatment.
It emerged this week that 30,000 are on a waiting list for treatment across nine surgical specialities in UHG and Merlin Park hospitals.
The data is a further embarrassment for the medics, some of whom are being singled out for causing delays on making insurance claims.
The two hospitals have overspent by €12m in the first quarter of this year yet there is €6.5m owed for treating private patients – claims are being held up by the failure of the consultant to sign the claim form and send it into the insurers, according to HSE management.
The latest HealthStat report published by the HSE revealed that 35% of consultants working at UHG were treating a higher proportion of private inpatients than is allowed under their contracts, while 75% were treating too many private outpatients.
The consultants’ contracts, which were negotiated with the HSE in 2008, set strict limits on the numbers of private patients that can be treated by doctors working in public hospitals and provide for financial penalties where they fail to comply.However no such penalties have yet been recorded.
Fine Gael Deputy Brian Walsh said if the consultants were seeing more private patients than they were allowed to under the quota, they were seeing less public patients, which was causing ever-lengthening waiting lists.
He called on the HSE to pursue doctors who are not complying as a matter of urgency.
“There are mechanisms in place to ensure that consultant doctors comply with the terms of their contracts, such as the enforcement of financial penalties, but these are not being availed of by the HSE and the ones who are suffering as a result are public patients,” he said.
Read more in today’s Galway City Tribune
Date Published: 07-May-2013
Galway has a population of young people which is more than twice the national average.
According to information gathered by the Central Statistics Office, Galway’s population of 20 to 24 year olds is more than twice the national average.
The number of 25-34 year olds in Galway is also more than the norm nationally, with the two main colleges thought to be the main reason.
However immigration in Galway is much higher than in other areas at 19.4 percent, compared to the national average of 12 percent.
Date Published: 07-May-2013
A city councillor is encouraging people to donate goods directly to charity shops.
It follows allegations of thefts from clothes banks in Galway and across the country in recent months.
However, cameras are in place at some clothes banks and surveillance is carried out by local authorities.
Speaking on Galway Talks, Councillor Neil McNeilis said the problem of theft from clothes banks is widespread.
Date Published: 07-May-2013
A park ‘n’ ride scheme from Carnmore into Galway city could become a permanent service if there is public demand.
That’s according to the Chief Executive of Galway Chamber of Commerce, Michael Coyle.
The pilot scheme will begin at 7.20 next Monday morning, May 13th.
Motorists will be able to park cars at the airport carpark in Carnmore and avail of a bus transfer to Forster Street in the city.
Buses will depart every 20 minutes at peak times and every 30 minutes at offpeak times throughout the day, at a cost of 2 euro per journey.
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