Celebrating 15 years of the Medical Independent

This month, the Medical Independent (MI) is marking its 15th anniversary. It is an opportune time to share some reflections and notes of gratitude.

The creation of MI was a brave business decision by our publisher Graham Cooke and his then business partner, Maura Henderson.

The economic conditions at the time were not favourable: Austerity was eviscerating public services, unemployment was in double-digit percentages, and the IMF were coming to town (although we were told they weren’t…).

Moreover, there were already two medical news publications in circulation. That didn’t look like a promising headwind away from the choppy economic waters.

Graham and Maura had extensive experience in healthcare publishing. They believed in the project and, with great tenacity, brought it to fruition. The first edition was published on 4 February 2010.

“I recall one of the major banks, who we had been banking with, almost laughing us out of their office at our proposal and request for financial supports,” says Graham today. “After all, we were suggesting launching a new fortnightly medical trade newspaper, something that had never been tried in Ireland before. We pitched ourselves as being an in-depth analysis-based newspaper similar to a Sunday paper and going up against the then well-established weeklies of Irish Medical Times and Irish Medical News. No wonder they threw us out!

“Thankfully their high street competitors welcomed us with open arms and we launched the Medical Independent on a wing, a prayer, a little help from our new friends in the bank, and the pharmaceutical industry, who gave us a chance.”

In the intervening years, MI has not only survived but thrived. This is a truly impressive feat. The vision for the publication, from the outset, also sets it apart. Our mission is to publish in-depth and exclusive news, analysis, and investigations for the medical profession in Ireland.

An important tool in this regard is Freedom of Information (FoI) law. The use of FoI helps us delve deeper into the issues facing doctors – from funding of consultant posts to breaches of the EWTD to capacity in general practice.

The quality of our journalism has been recognised by numerous awards and nominations. This also reflects the calibre of our editors through the years: Dawn O’Shea; Ailbhe Jordan; James Fogarty; Priscilla Lynch; and current Editor Paul Mulholland.

Paul, who returns from a sabbatical shortly, is an accomplished medical journalist who leads the team with diligence and integrity. Our staff journalist David Lynch excels at long-form journalism, particularly on matters of public health. Freelance journalist Niamh Cahill, a regular contributor, has a deep understanding of GP issues. We publish the work of many other freelance journalists, whose contributions we value highly.

Our outstanding columnists are integral to this newspaper’s identity. We are immensely proud of them all. Their columns are read widely across the healthcare professions in Ireland – and beyond.  Their pieces prompt comment, debate, and reflection on medicine, healthcare, and life itself. The lighter-toned contributions provide some comic relief, too. A further highlight is the artistry of Dr Eoin Kelleher, whose imaginative and thought-provoking cartoons regularly feature on this page.

We are strongly invested in producing quality clinical content. This area is expertly managed by Clinical Editor Priscilla Lynch. We are grateful to the medical and healthcare professionals who contribute to our clinical modules and help to ensure their consistently high quality.

MI has also built fruitful partnerships with clinical societies and postgraduate colleges, ensuring that topical issues presented at their meetings reach an even larger audience of healthcare professionals. In this respect, we must acknowledge the fantastic conference coverage provided by journalists Pat Kelly (Editor of our sister publication Irish Pharmacist) and Denise Doherty (Editor of our sister publication Nursing in General Practice).

The production of MI is highly dependent on our wonderfully committed and talented colleagues in subediting and design – Emer Keogh and Laura Kenny; in digital advertising – Gemma Tyrrell; and in administration – Daiva Maciunaite. In more recent times, subeditor Elaine Walsh has also joined the wider team in GreenCross Publishing.

Our digital strategy is ably led by Dermot Garland with support from Aileen Quigley. Dermot has enabled the creation of our first two podcast series: ‘Innovation in Healthcare’ and ‘Clinical Podcast’.

The publication of MI would be impossible without the ongoing support of our advertisers. We are proud of our reputation as an accurate, balanced, and contemporary medical publication that reaches thousands of healthcare professionals in hard copy and online, and we are deeply committed to growing our content across all platforms.

So, a grateful thanks to every individual who has enriched these pages over the past 15 years. And to you, our readers. We hope you will continue to value and enjoy MI for many years to come.