Twenty new clinical programmes will define the ideal care for patients so that it can be implemented across the country.
The HSE has established 20 Clinical Programmes to improve patient care. They are part of the Quality & Clinical Directorate, led by Dr Barry White, which is charged with defining how health services are delivered, measured and resourced.
The clinical programmes, which are led by a multi-disciplinary, frontline team of clinicians, are defining the ideal care for patients so that it can be implemented across the country.
Specifically they are focusing on solutions, which can start to be implemented next year, and which will improve patient care, reduce waiting lists and save money. The areas being targeted for improvements include: Primary Care, Out Patients, Emergency Services, Surgery and Chronic Disease.
Each of the programmes is led by a team of national experts, selected by their peers through the academic colleges and professional bodies. The teams include a consultant, GP, nursing and allied health professional and regional representatives, who are bringing together experience and expertise from services around the country to help plan the work of the programme. The programmes are currently in the planning phase with implementation due to commence in early 2011.
As part of its quality and safety remit, the Quality and Clinical Care Directorate is also introducing clinical governance to ensure that patients can get the right treatment. It is establishing a national clinical audit programme and developing guidelines to support service use involvement in the health services. These standards will be measured and audited to ensure that they are delivered across the system.
The Programme Clinical Leads are:
- Primary Care – Dr Joe Clarke
- Care of the Elderly – Dr Diarmuid O’Shea
- Palliative Care – Dr Karen Ryan
- Radiology – Dr Risteard O’Laoide
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology – Prof Michael Turner
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Deputy) – Dr Mike Robson
- Joint Stroke (Geriatrician) – Dr Joe Harbison
- Joint Stroke (Neurology) – Prof Peter Kelly
- Acute Coronary Syndrome – Prof Kieran Daly
- Heart Failure – Prof Ken McDonald
- Diabetes – Prof Richard Firth
- COPD – Dr Tim McDonnell
- Asthma – Dr Pat Manning
- Mental Health – To be decided
- Epilepsy – Dr Colin Doherty
- Dermatology – Prof Louise Barnes
- Neurology Out Patients – Dr Brian Sweeney
- Rheumatology – Prof Oliver Fitzgerald
- Joint Acute Medicine – Dr Gary Courtney
- Joint Acute Medicine – Prof Shane O’Neill
- Emergency Medicine – Dr Una Geary
- Critical Care – Dr Michael Power
- Surgery – Prof Frank Keane
