There were wonderful innovative health projects being pioneered all over the country and health care managers should encourage their colleagues and staff to enter these for the annual HMI Leaders Awards, Denis Doherty HMI Council Member and Chair of the HMI Leaders Award 2016 National Adjudication Panel, told the Conference.
He said the HMI Leaders Award, launched in 2014, recognised leaders who were bringing about changes in healthcare, delivering improvements in patient outcomes, enhancing service access and delivery and improving resource allocation.
Each year the HMI Leaders Award showcased the expertise, risk-taking and perseverance which teams and individuals displayed in striving to achieve change within our health services.
He said that all the projects entered for 2016 were outstanding. “Any of the six finalists would be worthy winners of the overall award, as they demonstrated leadership, innovation, relevance and the potential for the work to be extended beyond the particular area or project,” he said.
“This year the award varied from previous years in that we had two categories – the HMI Leaders Award, and The HMI Leaders Major Project Award. Coming through a regional selection process, six finalists for the Leaders Award made their presentations to the national judging panel on June 24, 2016 in the Graves Hall, RCPI.
“The areas covered by the six finalists were exceptionally interesting and most relevant to innovation and leadership in the Irish health services sector.”
Mr. Doherty said that the overall winner, Dr. Des Crowley of the HSE Addiction Services and Irish Prison Service, Thompson Centre, CHO 9, Dublin 7, set out to evaluate the effectiveness of an opportunistic outreach fibro-scanning service for Hepatitis C infection management to a community based drug treatment clinic and general practice in Dublin.
The other finalists were:
- Siobhan Enright, Rotunda Hospital – “Neonatal Transfusions: Protecting our Most Vulnerable Patients”.
- Anna de Siún, Irish Hospice Foundation -“A Journey of Change”.
- Moninne Howlett & Dr. Cormac Breatnach, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin – “Creation and Implementation of a National Drug Library of Paediatric Standardised Concentration Infusions as a Medication Error Reduction Strategy for Critically Ill Children”.
- Tony McNamara and Michael O’Sullivan, Cork University Hospital – “Change Management Programme Hotel Services Cork University Hospital”.
- Angela Joy, CHO Area 5 Social Inclusion Office, Waterford – “Intercultural Healthcare Pilot Project CHO Area 5”
In the Major Project category, there were also six finalists:
- Sinead Glennon, South South/West Hospital Group - “Biggest Reconfiguration of Acute Hospital Services in Cork and Kerry since many were first built”.
- Richard Corbridge, HSE and eHealth Ireland, Dr. Steeven’s Hospital - “eHealth Ireland”.
- Gemma Garvan, Healthlink, HSE, Dr. Steeven’s Hospital – “The National Healthlink Project”.
- Catherine Kane, Primary Care Reimbursement Service, HSE – “The National Medical Card Unit Online. Registration for the Under 6/Over 70s GP Visit Card Scheme”.
- Ray Cahill, HSE in conjunction with McKesson Imaging & Workforce Solutions – “The National Integrated Medical Imaging System (NIMIS)”.
- Tim Carey , HSE, Dr. Steeven’s Hospital – “CSPD Reform and the establishment of Integrated Care Programmes”
The winner of this category was Ray Cahill - The HSE in conjunction with McKesson Imaging & Workforce Solutions – “The National Integrated Medical Imaging System (NIMIS)”
Said Mr. Doherty: “If truth be told while both of these winning projects were outstanding each of the shortlisted projects were and continue to be outstanding in their own right. Given the broad spectrum of patients and relatives and the community at large that they have the capacity to improve the care outcomes for, it is arguable that each are winners on behalf of the patients they serve.”
“The amount of effort and commitment that it takes for people who are already very busy in their professional roles in the health services sector to take on additional commitment of leadership cannot be overstated. By investing their time, effort and expertise in the development and promotion of best practice they are exemplars in their chosen fields of endeavour.”
“I think the future of Irish healthcare is all the brighter by the beacons of hope lit by our colleagues who have demonstrated what can be and arguably must be done to provide improved opportunity and enhanced care for patients, current and future and by extension citizens of the State.”
I would also like to thank the members of the regional panels and also my fellow members on the National Judging Panel. These included:
He concluded by thanking his fellow national adjudication members – Suzanne Dempsey, Director of Nursing, The Children’s Hospital Group, Ian Addie, Head of Patient Access, Novartis Ireland and Brigadier General Peter O’Halloran, Assistant Chief of Staff, Defence Force.
