By Seamus Gallagher September 2025
I am honoured and privileged to be asked to write an article for the 80th celebration of the establishment of the Health Management Institute (HMI).I am delighted that the history of the Institute is being documented as part of its 80th Anniversary. To me history is so important. As Winston Churchill said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.”
Beginning/ Background
I first came in contact with the Institute when I was Manager in the Western Health Board with responsibility for the acute, mental health and elderly services in County Roscommon. I attended a conference in Dublin which was part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary in November 1995. The organisation was then called ‘Institute of Hospital Managers’ I was warmly welcomed, by the then President, the late Kieran Hickey, Secretary, Ned Byrne, the late Derek Dockery RIP & many more. I joined the HMI because of my interest in education and development of managers which I felt was core of the ethos of the Institute. This was apparent to me from the deliberations at the conference. Afterwards, I applied for membership which was approved in 1996. Later that year I attended the A.G.M. in Dublin, and afterwards I was invited to join the National Council.
I was the first member of the council from the west of Ireland and was delighted that in March 1998 I organised a national council meeting and seminar in Merlin Park University Hospital Galway. This was one of the first meetings of the national council outside of Dublin.
I was a member of Council for over 12 years following election on a number of occasions. I enjoyed my tenure on the Council and was delighted to participate with, and work with, other members of council in the development, expansion and raising the profile of the Institute through the health services in Ireland.
My activities and Council
One of my first activities was to promote the Institute in the west and encourage fellow mangers to become members. I also co-ordinated increased activity by the Institute in the region. As a result the membership in the west increased from 2 to over 40 members in the first year.
My other major activity on Council was in delivering and organising of post graduate lectures throughout the country. I worked on this project with fellow Council member, Pat Smyth –the then Chief Executive in Leopardstown Hospital. Our work involved establishing the needs of managers in terms of post graduate, continuing professional development (CPD). Following discussion and research, we organised seminars on current issues in the Health Services, new reports, new and quality initiatives. We expanded the access for members to these seminars throughout the country through the use of video link, which involved having a live seminar transmitted to centres in the Regional Health Boards, voluntary hospitals in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and other health services. Video link was a new IT facility at that the time and was in the early stages of development. It worked very well thanks to the support of health mangers, IT managers and their staffacross the country. We were both very thankful to John Lahan of the IT Department in the then Southern Health Board who was very supportive. In order to provide a quality experience we arranged that all hard copies of presentations were supplied in advance to those in attendance at all venues.
Website
In line with the developments of IT and improved communication and access for members the Council approved the development of a website. I headed up a sub-committee which included Robert McCutcheon Council member and Caroline Buckley, IT Southern Health Board. We completed our task with a new website and were delighted that Taoiseach Michael Martin, the then Minister of Health, launched the website in Leopardstown Hospital in January 2004.
Upgraded Website
A few years later Council felt the website needed upgrading. I chaired the new group whose members included Denis Doherty, then Chief Executive of HeBE, Mary Garvin, Internal Communications HSE West, Ross Culliton, IT Specialist HeBe. We revised the website in line with the up-to-date facilities. Our revised website www.hmi.ie was launched by then Minister of Finance Brian Cowen in The Tullamore Court Hotel in March 2006.
HMI title & Logo
During our deliberations on the revised website we felt it was necessary to change the name to reflect the changes in our membership and our focus for the future. After much discussions we designed a new logo and submitted it for approval. As a result, the name was changed to The Health Management Institute (HMI). This proposal was approved by the National Council.
The upgraded website www.hmi.ie and logo facillated easier access by all to the work, services and other information on the HMI. It also facilitated the HMI in expanding membership to not alone represent hospital or general managers, which was traditionally the membership of the Institute but to managers in nursing, allied health professionals, maintenance technical , catering etc. Also to the wider health services such as the voluntary, private, not for profit sectors. The creation of the website and the new logo were greatly helpful in that process.
Fellowship of the Institute
In 2010, I was delighted to be awarded a Fellowship of the Institute by the National Council in recognition of my dedication and hard work in the HMI and specifically in the expansion and the development of the Institute in the west of Ireland. Taoiseach Brian Cowen, T.D. presented the Fellowship Awards in the Tullamore Court Hotel.
HMI West Regional Group
I took early retirement for the HSE in late 2010 and developed my own business in the areas of health consultancy, Life coaching and more recently broadcasting. Shortly afterwards I was invited to join the HMI West Regional Group, I was again involved in organising seminars on key national and local initiatives, which are normally held in Merlin Park University Hospital. Given the wide nature of Health Management, I found that it was an opportunity to facilitate further education and CPD opportunities for members and at the same time raise the profile of the Institute locally. In addition, it provided a forum for managers within the HSE to meet up and also network with managers and representatives of other health sector organisations/companies within the local area. The seminars in the west were very well supported with at least 3 every year.
President & Vice President positions now based the West
We have gone “full circle” in that the our President Breda Crehan -Roche and past President, Tony Canavan are both members from the west of Ireland. Thanks to Breda and Tony for their support to me in my work with the Institute. I wish them well in their roles.
Conclusion
I joined the Institute because of my interest in the training and development of managers in the health services. I enjoyed working in the development of the Institute in the west of Ireland through its work in the post-graduate/seminars for mangers in key, relevant and topical issues in the management and delivery of health and social services.
I felt it was important that experienced health mangers, in particular those in general management should hold membership of a professional body and also avail of the valuable services offered by the HMI such as post graduate education. It was important that mangers from an admin management background were recognised as a professional group.
My membership was critical for me in keeping me up-to-date on important topics, issues, good practices on management in the health service. My involvement facilated networking with managers across all parts of the country & in many aspects of health management. I know that these colleagues are always willing to provide support and advice at any time. It assisted me in being aware of what was going on in health services around the country.
During my time on the Council I met dedicated managers who were passionate about the development of good management practice and all gave of their knowledge, experience, energy and professionalism to the HMI which was in the in their own time. They are colleagues and friends.
A big thank you to all.
Wishing the HMI all the best for the future.
Seamus Gallagher DTM (Distinguished Toastmaster)
*Health & HR Consultant, Life Coach & Broadcaster *
*B.A. (Hons), F.H.M.I., A.M.A.C., DTM
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