Retired. ex CoDirector, @CancerInstIRE @tcddublin and @stjamesdublin. ex @hopkinskimmel. Bibliophile, gardener. Opinions personal

Dublin City, Ireland
So well deserved. Everyone on the committee better be ready to work hard!
Congratulations to @PatriciaMcGowan, Cancer Research and Innovation Manager at @stjamesdublin, @tcddublin, on her appointment as Chair of the OECI Accreditation Committee, effective 1 October 2026. We wish Patricia every success in her new role!
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Slaintecare is making this worse. As insured patients are driven from the public sector their care is being provided at higher cost in the private sector and your insurance premiums are rising accordingly. Not the only reason for rising costs but certainly a factor.
The costs of comprehensive private health insurance is becoming unaffordable for your average person unfortunately. Costs are rising and benefits are being cut.
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Slaintecare will fail because @HSELive is utterly incapable of delivering the necessary increased public capacity in anything like a timely fashion, and block grant funding by the taxpayer, ala NHS, is totally unsustainable. We need a different model, one that actually works.
I’ve been saying this for years! Of course in Ireland with our 50% insured population, most of the NHS wannabe civil servants and Slainte-worshipping pols have insurance themselves! The system we should emulate Is Germany.!
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John is undoubtedly one of the great surgeons of our generation. His legacy is the clinical and research excellence of the unit he built and the care that patients with oesophageal and gastric cancer will get @stjamesdublin @tcddublin @CancerInstIRE
Yesterday, the @OesophagealCF team was honoured to attend a special symposium and celebration at @stjamesdublin marking the retirement of Professor John Reynolds. From all the OCF community, we extend our thanks & congratulations to John for his extraordinary contribution.
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Another predictable result of Slaintecare for the taxpayer, when the HSE is now expected to be €1 billion in deficit by December. The public will also pay more in private healthcare premiums as private hospitals charge insurers more than the HSE did.
Scrapping private practice in public hospitals to cost HSE €140 million this year, PAC told irishtimes.com/politics/oire…
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This kind of thing is not just a concern for radiologists. Personally, I would never trust a report from an uncontactable, unknown radiologist. Period.
#Radiologists concerned over patient scans reviewed by unregistered doctors abroad ✍️Shauna Bowers Last month, The Irish Times revealed that a radiologist reported on diagnostic imaging for Health Service Executive (#HSE) patients through a company, despite having his licence revoked in two countries after he was found to have misread imaging. Dr Sattar Kadhem had his medical licence revoked by the Swedish medical regulator in June 2023, followed by the Norwegian regulator soon afterwards. However, Kadhem, who is registered with the General Medical Council (#GMC) in the UK, continued to read scans through a teleradiology company called Hexamark in the UK until late last year. irishtimes.com/health/2026/0…
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A totally predictable result of shutting down NTPF-funded insourcing and outsourcing by @roinnslainte where public hospital capacity is inadequate to deal with ever increasing demand, and @HSELive takes forever to deliver capital projects and replace ancient equipment.
Hospital waiting lists expected to soar past the one million mark before Christmas buff.ly/0D2CLKm
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Thursday was my last day as co-director of @CancerInstIRE. I will miss working with this hugely talented group in the Programme Office. Simply wonderful colleagues.
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Fantastic work from @EileenMOReilly showing real promise of a breakthrough in treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer. Great to have Eileen as chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of @CancerInstIRE
Replying to @DrAngelaLamarca
Example of the excitement around it… Well done @EileenMOReilly answering all the questions! Non-stop! Could not even say hi in person 😊
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Great work from @oanaDeac a member of the @IrishCancerSoc funded Young Onset Cancer program @CancerInstIRE @stjamesdublin @TCDTMI
Congratulations to Dr @OanaDeac , NCRI intern, Oncology Specialist Registrar and ICAT Fellow , on her open‑access publication on young‑onset GI cancer. 🔬 Linking clinical expertise with population cancer data for real‑world insights. 🔗 authors.elsevier.com/sd/arti…
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Spot on, @mccarthymt7. Nordic countries have been using partial ABF since 1990s (note @HSELive “pilot” next year) to address waiting lists and target productivity gains. All have, however, adequate capacity/infrastructure and highly developed digital health. Unlike Ireland.
This is the most sensible idea I have heard in a long time. The reasons it will probably fail are that: 1. You cannot count “activities” by hand. The absence of an electronic healthcare record is very limiting. At this point, it is a choice to not have an EHR in Ireland. It cannot possibly be mere incompetence. 2. Performing any type of fundable activity requires a core team of competent people to be in place, and hospitals across the country are not starting at the same place. ie upfront investment is required to enable activity. 3. It remains single payer. Whichever luminary came up with the brilliant idea to stop insurers paying public hospitals for work done that now public hospitals continue to do, but for free, will probably stop this from working also. Activity-based funding ‘pilot initiatives’ planned for this year   - Medical Independent medicalindependent.ie/in-the…
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Such important work reassuring patients and staff of the safety and quality necessary in a hugely complex multi-step process @CancerInstIRE @stjamesdublin
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Today’s 13th International Cancer Conference comes at a critical moment, as the Irish Independent @Independent_ie reports cancer rates are increasing more rapidly in young adults reinforcing the urgency of research, collaboration and action. m.independent.ie/irish-news/…
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This should be a highlight in a great programme @tcddublin @CancerInstIRE @stjamesdublin
Countdown to the TSJCI International Cancer Conference ‘ Transforming Cancer Research and Care’ April 14-15. join us to hear Prof Jose Perea Garcia present his work on Young Onset cancer care. eventbrite.ie/e/tsjci-intern…
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Wonderful recognition of Janice’s many contributions to cancer trials and cancer care in Ireland. Richly deserved.
Congratulations to Professor Janice Walshe, Consultant Medical Oncologist at @svuh and investigator with Cancer Trials Ireland, honoured in a new @Postvox stamp series celebrating pioneering women in medicine. Her work in international cancer trials, including the POSITIVE study, is helping support women diagnosed with breast cancer who wish to start or grow their families. We are proud to work with her. #IWD2026 #WomenInMedicine #WomenInScience
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Well done Ciara. Great achievement.
This was an outstanding PhD thesis defence from @csmcnevin today 💪 Patient impacting research ✅ National registry established ✅ Cascade benefits for other tumor types ✅ Patient integrn ✅ Lab correlated ✅ 👏👏👏 to supervisors 👇 Very honoured to be external examiner 🙏
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Save the date! The @CancerInstIRE 13th International Cancer Conference takes place April 14–15. 🧬 Abstract submissions are now open ⏰ Deadline: Feb 7, 2026 #CancerResearch #Oncology #TSJCI
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M John Kennedy retweeted
Join us for the #IASLC Hot Topics Meeting on Resistance to Immunotherapy, in Dublin☘️ 📅 June 26–27 📍Trinity College Dublin ⭐️With our own @FordePatrick as a meeting chair Don’t miss 2 days of science, discussion, & collaboration @IASLC @CancerInstIRE @Irishimmunology #LCSM
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A most deserving recipient. It’s great for @CancerInstIRE to be able to support the academic work of the largest multidisciplinary head and neck cancer programme in Ireland. Thanks to @tcdalumni @tcddublin for their unwavering commitment.
Congratulations to Mr. Conall Fitzgerald @CancerInstIRE @stjamesdublin awarded the third Joly Cancer Leadership Programme honour. As a leading head & neck surgeon, his work continues to advance cancer care & innovation. shorturl.at/V4QUu
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