Report of the Consultation for a National Rare Disease Plan for Ireland

This report presents findings from the National Consultation on Rare Disease overseen by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland on behalf of the Department of Health to inform the development of Irelandâ?Ts first National Rare Disease Plan. In 2009, the Council of the European Union recommended that all member countries develop a national plan for rare diseases with the framework of their health and social systems by the end of 2013. The aim is to ensure that all patients with rare disease in Europe have access to high quality care, including diagnostics, treatments and rehabilitation.  Download the report here

Report of the Consultation for a National Rare Disease Plan for Ireland

This IPH report (2013) (prepared for the ROI Department of Health) presents findings from the National Consultation on Rare Disease overseen by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland on behalf of the Department of Health to inform the development of Ireland’s first National Rare Disease Plan. In 2009, the Council of the European Union recommended that all member countries develop a national plan for rare diseases with the framework of their health and social systems by the end of 2013. The aim is to ensure that all patients with rare disease in Europe have access to high quality care, including diagnostics, treatments and rehabilitation.

DETERMINE Working Document #1 'Policies and actions addressing the social determinants of health inequalities: examples of activity at EU member state level in Europe'

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) is a partner in the European project DETERMINE, building on its previous involvement in the Closing the Gap project in 2004-2006. In the first year of the project (2007-2008) 15 DETERMINE partners identified policies and actions that have taken place within countries, and at the EU level, to address Social Determinants of Health Inequalities. These policies and actions were identified via a questionnaire, which also identified structures and tools/mechanisms being used in the country to support a 'health in all policy' approach.

Social inequalities in health. New evidence and policy implications

Health inequalities according to people's social standing are persisting, or even growing, in modern societies. Recent decades have revealed evidence of strong variations in life expectancy, both between countries and within them. This widening of social inequalities has developed despite considerable progress in medical science and an increase in health care spending. The reasons behind this are complex, and the implications considerable.   This book provides a summary of the major achievements of a five-year European Science Foundation (ESF) Programme on 'Social Variations in Health Expectancy in Europe'. The contributors are major figures in their subjects, and combine state of the art reviews with the latest results from interdisciplinary research in epidemiology, sociology, psychology and biomedicine.   Three conceptual frameworks of life course influences, health effects of stressful environments, and macro social determinants of health, are unified, while each chapter addresses the policy implications and recommendations derived from currently available evidence. The major topics covered include the role of family in early life, social integration and health, work stress and job security, successful ways of facing adversity, and the impact of the larger environment on health. Epidemiologists, public health research and policy makers, and students of related public health and sociology courses wlll find the results of this research fascinating.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Medical Education in Ireland A New Direction - Report of the Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training

Ireland can be justly proud of the history and quality of its medical education. Graduates of Irish medical schools are accepted globally as being of international standard and many of the most eminent of Irish medical professionals have returned to Ireland after periods of distinguished service in other countries. This high international standing is reflected in the large number of North American, African and Asian students attending medical school in Ireland. Indeed, the ability of Irish medical schools to successfully compete at an international level in terms of attracting students to Ireland, and to establish a range of strategic relationships with Universities and Governments in other countries is to be commended.