Word of mouth p17 | Interview – RCSI ASM p19 |
News
Health minister sets out 10-year vision
New health minister Simon Harris TD has announced his ı0-year vision for the Irish health service, promising a “singular plan” that will provide “a direction of travel regardless of political events”. In his first announcement as minister
for health, Harris set out his intention to establish an Oireachtas Committee to develop a cross-party consensus on the future of the health service. He said: “The public and the people who
work so hard in our health service have no lack of appetite for reform but they are certainly fatigued by piecemeal reforms that don’t really change anything and by the shifting priorities that come with political change. “The work of this committee can mean
that the public and those working in the service can have a sense of certainty that there is a long-term strategy agreed by political consensus, and hopefully, societal consensus, that will not change no matter what the makeup of the next Dail.” In the run-up to February’s general election, Harris’s party Fine Gael was the only party that made mention of dentistry
in its manifesto. The party promised to introduce a dental health package for under sixes, including advice for children under ı8 months, wellness checks and appropriate treatment between three and six years. It also pledged to restore the Dental
Treatment Benefit scheme as part of its reform of PRSI so that patients will be reimbursed the cost of “some dental treatments”. Finally, the party promised to introduce a preventive dental health package for medical card holders including examination, cancer screening, scaling and polishing, any necessary preventive treatment, radiographs and prescription. Dr Gregg Barry, from Docklands Dental
in Dublin, said: “Given the short-sighted cutbacks to patients services under the medical card and PRSI entitlements in 20ı0, a change in priority for the provision of dental services is essential for the new government. “I am optimistic that Minister Simon
Harris will follow through on Fine Gael’s election promises and move to increase funding and re-organise patient schemes
Survey reveals shocking statistics
Half of NI patients don’t brush at least once a day
Nearly 50 per cent of people in Northern Ireland don’t brush their teeth at least once a day according to a survey of 2,000 adults in the UK. The research, conducted
by Vital Statistics on behalf of dental company White Glo, found that 47 per cent of patients in the province who took part admitted not brushing once a day on average, and they were tied with Londoners (also 47 per cent), with only people
in Wales coming out worst (45 per cent). On the whole, the UK survey
found that 40 per cent are still not brushing their teeth at least once a day. The worst age group was found to be the 26-34-year-olds with more than half admitting to not brushing once a day (5ı per cent). The most conscientious tooth- brushers were found in the over-55 age group (68 per cent). The news comes just weeks
after the BDA in Northern Ireland called for an end to what it called a “decay epidemic” in the country and described the existing oral health strategy as “creaking”.
Ireland’s Dental magazine 7
that are collapsing under the demand being placed on them. “The medical card and PRSI dental schemes are failing in their original aims to place an emphasis on disease prevention and this has resulted in a crisis in Irish dentistry with increasing numbers of patients on long-term antibiotics and seeking treatment for severe dental infections.”
Simon Harris TD
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52