Speakers

Sheik Dr. Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin J. Al-Thani

Director of Ministry of Public Health

Qatar

Biography

Dr. Mohamed Bin Hamad Al Thani is Director of Public Health Department at the Ministry of Public Health since 2008. He is Associate Professor of Clinical Healthcare Policy and Research at Weill Cornell Medical College and Qatar University.

He developed programs to protect the health of individuals, families and community in Qatar. He placed a high priority in developing the first Public Health Strategy 2017-2022 in Qatar. He is continually conducting clinical research studies in the most ethical and safest manner possible to develop an integrated approach to health prevention and promotion. He has more than 30 scientific publications.

Dr. Mohamed Bin Hamad Al Thani has headed number of national committees including the National Preventive Health Committee, which aims to address the many facets of transitioning from a curative to a preventive health focus and to ensure a robust preventive health governance system is in place.

He is the Chair of the Public Health Implementation committee, Member in the National Health Care Committee, and Member in the Public Health Commi

Amanda Torrens

Managing Director

Brinley Healthcare

Biography

Amanda is Managing Director of Brindley Healthcare. She founded Brindley Healthcare in 2000, built and opened the first Nursing Home in Donegal that year. She has steered the group through the changes and turbulent times in Healthcare to where the company now sits as one of the top three independently owned residential care home groups in Ireland. Amanda undertakes overall responsibility for the day to day running and future planning and development for Brindley Healthcare.
Amanda has formerly worked in banking and accounting departments and has managed homecare services in Northern Ireland. During this time Amanda has been a Director and Board member of Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) representing private nursing homes, consulting on legislative and financial issues concerning the sector.
Amanda is currently a member of the NHI National Subcommittee for Commercial and Financial Affairs. She is the Chairperson of the Northwest Region of NHI. Amanda has during this time, with her businesses been a recipient of many nationally and local business accolades and awards.

HEE HWANG

Chief Information Officer & Associate Professor

Biography

Chief Information Officer & Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
Address: Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital,
300 Gumidong, Bundanggu, Seongnam City, Gyeong-gi do, Korea

1996. Graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine
1997-1998. Intern, Seoul National University Hospital
1998-2002. Resident, Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital
2002-2004. Clinical Fellowship, Pediatric Neurology, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital
2004-2012. Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
2012-current. Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
2011-current. Chief Information Officer (CIO), Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
2014-current. Chief, National Health IT strategy TF, Korea Health Industry Development

Sandy Joy Weston

Author of Train Your Head & Your Body Will Follow

Biography

Sandy Joy Weston M.Ed. received her Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from Temple University, and achieved her Bachelor of Science in Dance from West Chester University. She began her journey as a health club owner when she opened an in-home private training company called Specialty Fit. She then proceeded to open the first Weston Fitness in Bala Cynwyd, PA with the help of her mentors. After much success, she continued to open two more health clubs including one in the heart of Center City Philadelphia, PA, still operating today.

Sandy’s vivacious personality and positive attitude made her impossible to ignore, so when Philadelphia’s NBC 10 caught wind of her, they approached her to become their fitness expert. During her time with NBC 10 she hosted fitness segments with the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, and the 76ers. Her great TV personality took her to the Discovery Channel where she was the featured trainer on the Reality TV show “Health Cops”.

Bill Maher

CEO, Bon Secours Health System

Biography

Bill Maher was previously CEO for the RCSI Hospitals Group incorporating Beaumont Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda, Louth County Hospital, Cavan and Monaghan Hospital, Rotunda Hospital with RCSI as academic partner and CEO of the Galway and Roscommon University Hospital Group, now Saolta. The Hospital Group was established to deliver improved performance and effectiveness in the safe delivery of acute hospital services as the first step in the formation of a Hospital Trust as part of the Government’s reform of the health service.

Bill who is originally from Tullow, Co Carlow, was previously Acting CEO of St Vincent’s University Hospital. Before joining St Vincent’s University Hospital in 2006, Bill worked for 16 years with the NHS in a career spanning mental health services, senior management at City Hospitals Sunderland (an Acute Trust providing a wide range of hospital services such as A&E, surgical and medical specialties, therapy services, maternity and paediatric care. Bill helped establish Sunderland as the first NHS Trust before moving on to North of Tyne Commissioning Consortium which had a staff of 8,000 people and a budget of £1.2bn.

Bill has an MBA, an MSC in Health Information and is currently studying towards a BA (Hons) in Law. Bill is passionate about Patient Care and Performance Management and looks to build strong relationships with all stakeholders to deliver sustainable service improvement.

Dr. Alina Mihai

Consultant Radiation Oncologist

Biography

Dr. Alina Mihai is full time Consultant Radiation Oncologist at  Beacon Hospital, with expertise in high technology such as IMRT and stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiotherapy.  Dr. Mihai earned her Medical Degree and Specialty in Romania. Her training included clinical and research Fellowships in France (University of Rouen –Prof B.Dubray), and Canada.  Between 2002-2005 at University of Toronto, where she was involved in  development of forward planning IMRT for breast cancer and in assessing the role of central pathology review in DCIS breast. Between 2006-2007 Dr Mihai joined the staff of the Radiotherapy Department of the Cross Cancer Institute Edmonton (Alberta), initially as a Clinical Research fellow, subsequently as a full time locum Consultant. During this period she was involved in developing the tomotherapy technique for breast cancer treatments, as well as in implementing the PET-CT and myocardial perfusion scans in the process of radiotherapy planning for lung and breast malignancies.

Dr Mihai joined UPMC Beacon Hospital in July 2007.  She has had a pivotal role in implementation and development of gated and image guided radiotherapy and stereotactic body radiotherapy at Beacon Hospital . Her expertise is in assessment of moving targets, SBRT for oligometastatic disease and IMRT for brain, prostate and lung cancers. In addition, she is actively involved in the development of UPMC pathways for therapeutic management of rectal, oesophageal and prostate cancers. She organised and leads the extracranial SBRT task group at Beacon Hospital. Dr Mihai earned her Master degree in Radiation Science (University of Toronto) in 2006.

Her present areas of research and publications include:

• SBRT for oligometastatic disease
• SBRT in elderly
• role of metabolic imaging in treatment planning and response assessment

She is member of several professional organizations including ICORG, ESTRO, ASTRO, EANO. She is site principal investigator in two clinical trials opened at Beacon Hospital and co-investigator in other two.

Mark Radford

Director of Nursing (Improvement) for NHS

Biography

Mark Radford is Director of Nursing (Improvement) for NHS Improvement with a portfolio that covers workforce, quality improvement and Governance.

Mark has worked in Perioperative, Emergency and Intensive care in the UK and Europe.  He was previously been a Chief Nurse of a University Teaching Hospital and Consultant Nurse in Emergency & Trauma care.  Mark is Professor of Nursing at Birmingham City and Coventry Universities, and has published research on staffing, advanced practice, perioperative and trauma care.

Dr Fiona Geaney

CEO and Founder of Food Choice at Work

Biography

Fiona is the CEO and founder of Food Choice at Work and holds an Adjunct Lecturer position with the School of Public Health. Dr Geaney completed a BSc in Nutritional Sciences, a Master of Public Health and in 2015 obtained her PhD in Public Health Nutrition. Dr Geaney was the lead investigator of the Food Choice at Work Study, where she developed, conducted and evaluated a large scale dietary intervention study which was funded by the HRB Centre for Health and Diet Research. Due to considerable interest from national enterprises, the study was successfully commercialised in 2015 as a spin-out company in UCC.

Food Choice at Work is an evidence-based, sustainable healthy eating management system for employees. The technology-based company has a proven health benefit for employees, long-term financial benefit for employers and a societal environmental benefit. The company is trading successfully with high-profile, large scale public and private workplaces like Microsoft, employs 6 female employees and has been recently accredited as a High Potential Start-Up with Enterprise Ireland. Food Choice at Work received the ‘Most Revenue Generating Company’ award in 2017 from the Gateway Incubation Centre in UCC.

Dr Geaney has published 16 peer reviewed publications to date, with more in preparation and has contributed to several national reports. Dr Geaney has shared her research at international conferences over the years and has been invited to speak at the International Congress of Occupational Health in May. Dr Geaney has developed many collaborations with key national and international stakeholders and has also had the opportunity to tutor, mentor and supervise over 45 undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students. Dr Geaney is a workplace health advocate that is striving to bridge the gap between research and industry for the benefit of all employees worldwide.

Myles Murray

Founder

PMD Solutions

Biography

Entirely focused on improving patient outcomes by making every breath count, by developing revolutionary respiratory monitoring and diagnostic technologies. Technologies that are set to become the new industry standard in the acute care patient monitoring and home sleep diagnostics.

Myles, founder and CEO of PMD Solutions, has driven a start-up company from incorporation through to realising revenues of €4.2m, establishing an international business development team, creating a revolutionary respiratory sensor technology, and developing an exciting patent and product portfolio. Accomplishing this together with a world-class multidisciplinary team.

Hospitals are under increasing pressure, from both an ageing population and increasing restrictions on healthcare expenditure. This has caused a paradigm shift in the modality of healthcare systems from interventional to preventative, in particular for the acute care setting. Over the past decade, significant clinical research has concluded that vital signs can be used as a prognostic indicator of patient deterioration. Over the past five years, a more profound conclusion has been developed:
Respiratory rate is the earliest and most sensitive indicator of patient deterioration.

RespiraSense – the world’s first continuous respiratory monitor, offers medical teams the ability to monitor the respiratory rate trend from admittance to discharge. Alerting to the earliest signs of oncoming patient deterioration. The development of which will enable medical teams to:
reduce unplanned ICU admissions;
lower average length of stay;
improve the quality of life for the patient; &
returning >90% on their investment in RespiraSense technology.

In addition, emerging from the same sensor technology, is the world’s first Single-Sensor-3-Channel AHI Screener – a revolutionary technology, with no-more-belts-no-more-cannulas. A simple, discrete, and effective AHI population screener to address the 94% of the undiagnosed population.

Dr. Carmel Sheridan

Group Director of Quality, Risk and Patient Safety,

Bon Secours Health System

Biography

Dr. Carmel Sheridan is the Group Director of Quality and Patient Safety at Bon Secours Health System. Prior to this she worked with the Ireland East Hospital Group as their Group Director of Quality, Risk and Patient Safety.

Carmel graduated from University College Dublin in 1997 and pursued training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Following the completion of specialist training in 2009, she moved to Perth, Western Australia to practise as a consultant obstetrician, with a special interest in Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology. During her early years in Perth, she also held the position of Associate Professor in Gynaecology at the University of Western Australia, where she contributed to their undergraduate teaching programme.

Following on from her time at the University of Western Australia, she developed an interest in service model design and commenced formal training with the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators as a medical executive. She was awarded an Associate Fellowship with the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators in 2013 and the Griffith University Award for Academic Excellence based on her Master’s Degree in Health Services Management in 2015. During this time she held positions of Director of Postgraduate Medical Services and Deputy Director of Medical Services at St John of God Health Care.

Carmel has a keen interest in models of clinical governance, with a particular interest in the integration of clinical risk, clinical audit and continuous professional development to promote sustainable patient and workplace safety, as well as ensuring individual and organisational accountability.

Dr. Sten Myrehaug MD, FRCPC

Biography

Education:

• 2010-2011: Clinical Research Fellow, Radiation Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
• 2005-2010: Postgraduate Training, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Canada
• 2001-2005: Doctor of Medicine with Special Training in Research, University of Alberta, Canada
• 1997-2001: Bachelor of Science, University of Alberta, Canada

Appointments and affiliations:

• Radiation oncologist and clinician investigator, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Assistant professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto

Specialties:

• Central nervous system malignancies
• Gastrointestinal malignancies
• Neuroendocrine malignancies

Dubhfeasa Slattery

Chair of Medical Professionalism at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Biography

Dubhfeasa is Professor and chair of Medical Professionalism at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and BSHS. Prior to this she was head of Clinical Risk at the State Claims Agency, Dublin, where she authored multiple national reports analysing five years of data on incidents, medico-legal claims and costs for all public healthcare services. She is a Consultant Respiratory and General Paediatrician of 15 years and graduated from University of Dublin, Trinity. She completed her postgraduate training at the Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School before working there as a Consultant Respiratory Paediatrician. Subsequently she worked at the Children’s University Hospital Temple St., as head of the Respiratory and Cystic Fibrosis department.

Dubhfeasa has a PhD in Molecular Medicine and has published on basic science, translational, clinical and educational research.  She has received independent research grant funding, multiple national and international research awards and was one of three international recipients of an American Ireland Fund Award (2009) for her contribution to Paediatrics, research and fundraising.

Having held multiple national roles including Associate Dean of Hospital Inspections at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI 2010-2014), Dubhfeasa consolidated her interest in quality improvement in healthcare by completing a Diploma in Leadership and Quality in Healthcare (RCPI, 2014), the Safety, Quality, Informatics and Leadership programme (SQIL2015-16) through Harvard Medical School and the Harvard Quality and Leadership programme for international healthcare executives (2016).

Dubhfeasa has always enjoyed teaching: has a Master’s in Education for Healthcare Professionals (Queen’s University 2011) and has authored and delivered national courses. She is a fellow of the RCPI.

Marie Ennis-O’Connor

Social Media Strategist | Digital Engagement | Online Communications | Healthcare | Health IT

Biography

Social media consultant, award-winning writer, and international keynote speaker who specializes in creating digital engagement strategies and training services to companies in the health technology, pharmaceutical, and allied healthcare fields.

Ciaran Duffy

European Advisor – EU Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme 2014-2020

Enterprise Ireland

Biography

European Advisor – EU Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme, Health
Member States Representative – Innovative Medicines Initiative
Member of the Board of Directors at C-TRIC
Academic research experience (1995-2005) . Bioanalytical.
Industrial experience – Medical Diagnostics/Pharmaceutical

Ms. Rosarii Mannion

National Director of Human Resources

HSE

Biography

Experienced Human Resources Director with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. Skilled in People Strategy implementation, Customer Service, Quality Improvement, Coaching, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Development. Strong human resources professional, FCIPD.

Brian Keane

CEO Bartra Nursing Homes

Biography

• CEO of Bartra Nursing Homes with overall responsibility for the integration, management and development of the entire Bartra Nursing Home portfolio
• Over 16 years of experience working in senior executive roles in Irish healthcare, holding CEO and CFO positions in many of Ireland’s most prestigious private and public acute hospitals
• Has acquired extensive healthcare experience working in both established hospitals and start-up situations, as well as having exposure to large international US healthcare providers
• Brings to Bartra Capital Property a wealth of experience gained from his public hospital positions in dealing with Irish governmental agencies, including the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, the National Treatment Purchase Fund, and others
• Additionally, from his private hospital experience, is extremely familiar with all Private Health Insurers and occupational scheme providers
• Especially experienced in managing healthcare Quality and Risk, having successfully achieved, both, international Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation for each of the 3 private hospitals in which he worked, as well as achieving national Irish Hospital Services Accreditation Board (IHSAB) success in the Rotunda Hospital (the first Dublin hospital to ever achieve this award)
• A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants having trained in KPMG in Dublin
• ØCEO St. Vincent’s Private Hospital
  • St. Vincent’s Private Hospital (SVPH) is part of St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group, the only public/private hospital healthcare group in Ireland. Founded in 1974 it is the largest acute private hospital in Dublin, with 236 inpatient beds, 54 day-care beds, all modern diagnostic capabilities and over 1,200 staff
  • St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group is an Academic Teaching Hospital and is the major south-Dublin hospital affiliated to University College Dublin
  • SVPH is the largest private provider of cancer services in Ireland, providing all forms of cancer treatment: medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgery and brachytherapy
  • Whilst in SVPH Brian increased revenues and EBITDA each year. Successfully lead SVPH in its triennial JCI Accreditation, its inaugural JAG (endoscopy) accreditation and INAB accreditation of its laboratories
  • Secured capital funding to replace SVPH’s linear accelerators for provision of radiation oncology services
  • Private Hospital’s Association CEO representative on both the National Radiation Safety Committee and the National Health & Safety Authority Healthcare Steering Group

  ØCFO Beaumont Hospital

  • Beaumont Hospital is the second largest tertiary referral public hospital in Ireland and the largest acute public hospital on Dublin’s northside. Beaumont has over 820 inpatient beds and approximately 3,000 staff.
  • Beaumont delivers a number of National Specialties including neurosurgery & neurology, renal transplantation and cochlear transplantation. It is a regional centre for ENT and gastroenterology. Beaumont is one the 8 National Centres of Excellence for Cancer Care
  • Beaumont is an Academic Teaching Hospital and is the principal teaching hospital for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)

Maureen Walsh

CEO at Decare Dental

Biography

Originally from the US, Maureen moved to Ireland in 1999 to help establish DeCare Operations Ireland Limited, a claims and shared services centre based in Claremorris, Co. Mayo. Maureen has led DeCare Dental Insurance Ireland from start-up stages to become Ireland’s only specialist dental insurer and oral health company.  DeCare is proud to serve individuals and companies throughout Ireland, ranging in size from 10 to 5000 staff. Maureen has a Bachelor of Science (Marketing) from Boston College Carroll School of Management, a Masters of Business Administration from the National University of Ireland, Galway and has a Certified Insurance Practitioner qualification from the insurance institute of Ireland.

Maureen is the Regional President of IBEC West and has held the role of Chairperson of Mayo Cancer Association and is member of various associations such as: 30% Club supporter, Bizmentors Advisory Board, the MBAA Association, the American Chamber of Commerce, the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and the Claremorris Chamber of Commerce.

Professor Dirk Verellen

PhD,Head of Medical Physics Radiation Oncology, Professor Biomedical Physics

Biography

Qualifications / education:
PhD Medical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1998
Qualified Medical Physicist, Radiation Oncology, 1991
MSc Physics, Antwerp University, 1989
Aggregated for higher secondary education, 1989
Main areas of professional interest/specialisation:
The practical issues concerning implementation of high precision conformal radiotherapy
and image-guidance in a clinical environment.
Establishing a safety culture in radiation oncology.
Professional experience/appointments:

Head of Medical Physics Radiation Oncology, Iridium Cancer Network, from 2016.

Head of Medical Physics, Radiation Oncology, UZ Brussel, from 1996-2016

Professor Biomedical Physics, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, from 2003.
Qualified Medical Physicist, Radiation Oncology, UZ Brussel, 1991-1995

David Casey

Health Promotion at the School of Health Sciences, National University of Ireland

Biography

David Casey RDN holds a national certificate in biology and a specialist certificate in oral health with health promotion.He is currently completing his MA in Health Promotion at the School of Health Sciences at the National University of Ireland, Galway. David has over 9 years clinical experience in healthcare and has worked over the last 6 years designing, building and implementing wellness and education programs for over 500 companies across Ireland and the UK. He has also completed courses in essentials in palliative care training and essentials in Dementia care training. In June 2014, Dave was awarded the Annual Special Care Dental Professional Award from the Irish Society for Disability and Oral Health and most recently awarded the Irish Gerontology Society’s 2017 Presidential Award for his research on health promotion and the ageing population.

Luke Rock

Chief Medical Physicist Beacon Hospital

Biography

Mr Luke Rock is the Chief Medical Physicist and Radiation Protection Advisor for Beacon Hospital. Having completed a residency programme at St. Luke’s Hospital, Dublin, Mr Rock took a medical physicist position at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Upon returning to Ireland, Mr Rock worked at University College Hospital Galway, where he commissioned Ireland’s first IMRT programme, then moved to Beacon Hospital where he oversaw the implementation of Ireland’s first SABR programme and the first Vision RT SRS programme in Europe.

Mr Rock has presented research at several national and international conferences and has published in peer reviewed journals. He is a member of several national and international organisations including the Irish and American Associations for Physicists in Medicine, Irish College of Physics in Medicine and the Institute for Physics and Engineering in Medicine (UK). Mr Rock was certified as a Therapeutic Radiological Physicist by the American Board of Radiology in 2006, accepted onto the register of Radiation Protection Advisors in Ireland in 2009 and registered as a Chartered Scientist by the Science Council in the UK in 2015.

Noel Mulvihill

CEO

TLC Group

Biography

TLC Nursing Home Group is community based and our aim is to offer a service which empowers both our residents and their families to live life at its best in our care. We currently have 4 centres with 511 beds and opening a new facility on Tonlegee Road, Dublin 5 in November 2018, which will bring our capacity to 680 beds.

Noel has worked for over 34 years in both the public and voluntary health sector with a broad range of experience as General Manager of Community Services, Hospital Manager and as Assistant National Director for Older Persons. Throughout his time as Assistant National Director, Noel was responsible for the roll out of National Standards for Older Persons Residential Care, together with the national introduction of the Fair Deal scheme.

In addition to his current role as CEO of TLC Nursing Home Group since April 2014, Noel is also a Board Director of Fold Housing, Jigsaw and Camphill Communities of Ireland.

Katrine Vedel

Health Innovation Adviser

Health Innovation Centre of Southern Denmark

Biography

Katrine Vedel has been working in the field of digitalisation and innovation in the public sector since 2006. She Holds an MSc.  in interdisciplinary IT and is actively involved in the Region of Southern Denmark’s international activities. She is team coordinator for the infrastructure and digital interaction team at the Health Innovation Centre of Southern Denmark and she is responsible for “Colab Plug&Play” – an innovative test and demonstration lab for telemedicine, IOT and e-health. Colab Plug&Play also provides unique facilities for public-Private collaboration.

Aidan Healy

 Head of Learning and Development at UnPlug

Biography

Aidan is the Head of Learning and Development at UnPlug, where he oversees the design and delivery of all of our evidence-based programmes.
Aidan comes from a background in psychology, coaching and leadership development. Over the last ten years, he has worked in organisations across the public, private and non-for-profit sectors, mostly recently at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Aidan brings a depth of international experience and intercultural competence to the UnPlug team, having previously delivered training and coaching programmes across six continents.

Enda Campbell

Workplace Health Promotion Officer at Irish Heart Foundation

Biography

Enda co-ordinates the workplace health promotion programmes within the Irish Heart Foundation. He holds a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Limerick, an MA in Health Promotion from NUI Galway and applies his learning from both fields to workplaces across Ireland. His career to date has led him to work with a full spectrum of clients from elite athletes to corporate clients in both public and private sector. Enda also worked on the development of Ireland’s first postgraduate course in Workplace Wellness that launched in 2017. As a committee member of the Association of Health Promotion of Ireland and the National Men’s Health Forum, Enda advocates for health within multiple domains. With Irish Heart Foundation’s Well@Work programme, he helps workplaces plan, implement and evaluate their own bespoke wellness programmes basing it on the fundamentals of health promotion and best evidence.

Jane Carolan

National Director for Health Business Services

Biography

Jane Carolan is National Director for Health Business Services, the shared services entity which provides back office support business services to the Health Service Executive. This includes Procurement, Estates, Finance and HR shared services. She is a member of the HSE Leadership Team.  Jane previously held the position of Head of Planning and Corporate Performance for the HSE and has a great interest in strategy development and execution. A Chartered Physiotherapist by profession and a graduate of TCD (BSC Physio), she also holds a MBA from the Smurfit Business School in UCD, a BA in Public Management from the Institute of Public Administration, a Diploma in Corporate Governance from UCD and BA in Spanish and French from the Open University. Jane has over 20 years experience in senior management roles within the health system.

Jim Mackey

Chief Executive

Biography

Jim Mackey returned to his substantive role as Chief Executive of the Trust in November 2017, a post he previously held for ten years.  He was welcomed back after completing a two year secondment in a national role as Chief Executive of the NHS Improvement.

Jim successfully oversaw the creation of NHS Improvement, an organisation that brought together the Regulators Monitor and the Trust Development Authority.  Responsible for overseeing NHS Trusts, NHS Improvement supports providers to ensure patients are given consistently safe, high quality compassionate care within local health systems that are financially sustainable.

Previous to his time at Northumbria Healthcare, Jim held a number of senior roles with the NHS, the Regional Office of the Department of Health in Northern and Yorkshire and, prior to that, worked in Local Government.

Eilísh Hardiman

Chief Executive at the Children’s Hospital Group

Biography

Eilísh Hardiman is Group Chief Executive of the Children’s Hospital Group since 2013. This Hospital Group is one of seven across the acute hospital system in Ireland and consists of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin; Temple Street Children’s University Hospital and the National Children’s Hospital at Tallaght Hospital, in partnership with several academic institutions in Ireland providing paediatric healthcare education and research.
The remits of the Children’s Hospital Group Board is to oversee the integration the three existing children’s hospitals into a new single legal entity well before transitioning to the new Paediatric Outpatients and Urgent Care Centres at Connolly (2019) and Tallaght (2020) Hospitals and the new children’s hospital at St. James’s Hospital (2022), developing an effective corporate and clinical governance structures for the Hospital Group, developing a services integration/reconfiguration plan for paediatric services in the Greater Dublin Area and to act as client for the new children’s hospital capital project, the largest capital investment in healthcare. The new children’s hospital will be central to an integrated clinical network for paediatric services, some on an all-island basis and is also planned as the first Digital Hospital in Ireland.
Eilísh has over 28 years acute academic teaching hospital experience, 18 of which at senior corporate management level in several roles, including Chief
Executive of Tallaght Hospital, both Deputy CEO and Director of Nursing of St
James’s Hospital, as well as, CEO to the previous National Paediatric Hospital Development Board.

Tadhg Daly

Chief Executive at Nursing Homes Ireland

Biography

Tadhg Daly is Chief Executive of Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI), the representative organisation for the private and voluntary nursing home sector. NHI was formed in Jan 2008 following the amalgamation of 4 nursing home representative organisations.

Tadhg was formerly CEO of the Irish Nursing Homes Organisation (INHO) and was one of the key figures that led to the establishment of Nursing Homes Ireland.

Tadhg represented the nursing home sector on the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) working group that developed the National Quality Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People. Tadhg has led the private and voluntary nursing home sector through 2 of the most significant changes in the sector with the development of the National Quality Standards and independent registration and inspection together with the commencement of the Nursing Home Support Scheme (Fair Deal).

Dr. Beth Meid

Global Business Manager

 AMD Activ Medical Disposable

Biography

Beth is currently Global Business Manager for AMD Global and a Former Head of European Sales for LG Group Chemical , having started her career with BASF. She is based in Frankfurt,  Germany.

Dalibor Frtunik

CEO of Sorsix International

Biography

Dalibor Frtunik is the CEO of Sorsix International, provider of the national integrated e-health systems of Macedonia and Serbia. The implementation of this solution, branded Pinga internationally, abolished waiting lists in the country of Macedonia within 6 months. Since its implementation, Macedonia has experienced an increase in healthcare service provision by over 70% without additional beds, doctors, or costs, through the resultant improvement in efficiency, visibility, and accessibility of healthcare resources.

Sorsix designs, develops, and implements turnkey solutions for the healthcare industry and utilities. Dalibor is based in Australia and has served as the lead architect on multiple Sorsix projects internationally. He has led the development of an integrated data management platform for a major motorway in Sydney, Australia, and is currently engaged in expanding the Pinga system to cover the needs of international markets.

Prior to his work with Sorsix, Dalibor has developed mission-critical solutions for one of Australia’s major airlines and largest banks. Dalibor holds a number of technology patents and has advised companies on their R&D and IP strategies in the past, experience he brings to his work at Sorsix. Dalibor graduated with first class honors from the University of Sydney, Australia.

Nicole Ferguson

Head of Staff Engagement & OD | Occupational Psychologist at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust

Biography

Nicole is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist with 10 years of experience in Organisational Development (OD) in the private, public and consultancy sectors. I have led a number of OD programmes in the areas of employee engagement, assessment, learning and development, talent, leadership, change, culture and behaviours, coaching and mentoring, health and wellbeing and internal communications. I have worked with FTSE100’s to SMEs, and more recently the NHS.

In the last five years I have worked within the NHS, leading a growing department as Head of Staff Engagement and Organisational Development. In addition I also set up “Go Engage”, a consultancy service specialising in an online culture and engagement diagnostic survey and practical tools. Go Engage has been winner and shortlisted for over six awards since 2014, most recently winning a 2017 CIPD award with our Xopa culture analytics system for best digital initiative. Go Engage continues to be featured as a case study by CIPD and Engage for Success, and broadly within the NHS.

My methodologies are based upon turning evidence based organisational psychology theory into practical interventions and tools that are accessible. I am able to design interventions that deliver results, and believe in providing tools that enable employees and organisations to really understand and own OD for themselves. I apply my professional expertise as a psychologist to help bring the latest best practice in OD to the workplace.

I am a registered psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Health Care and Professions Council (HCPC).

Prof. Garry Courtney

Consultant Physician & Gastroenterologist

St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny

Biography

Garry Courtney was born in Omagh, Co. Tyrone and graduated in Medicine from Trinity College, Dublin University.  He trained in General Medicine and Gastroenterology in Dublin and London and was appointed a Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist in St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny in 1996.  He is a member of the Executive Medical Board of the Ireland East Hospital Group. Other appointments include Co-Lead of the National Acute Medicine Programme, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and College Tutor, the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.

He was a member of the working group which established Clinical Directorates in 2008 and is the Clinical Director in St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny.

Clinical Interests include Acute Medicine, Viral Hepatitis, Interventional Endoscopy and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Prof. Andrea Bezjak

Prof University of Toronto

Biography

Dr. Andrea Bezjak is a Professor in the Departments of Radiation Oncology and Clinical Epidemiology & Health Care Research at the University of Toronto, Canada and staff Radiation oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Center/University Health Network.

She holds the Addie MacNaughton Chair in Thoracic Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto. She has authored or co-authored more than 190 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has been a principal investigator of multi-center clinical trials in lung cancer. Her research is in image-guided and stereotactic radiotherapy for lung cancer, palliative radiation, quality of life and symptom assessment. She has been a member of IASLC since 1995 and is one of the co-Presidents of the upcoming 2018 World Conference on Lung Cancer in Toronto.

Dr Nazmy Elbeltagi

Consultant Radiation Oncologist St James & St Lukes Hospitals

Biography

Dr Elbeltagi graduated from Medical School in 1994. He received his Masters degree in 1999 and PhD/MD in 2004 (Cairo). He received his FRCR in 2006 in the UK. During this period, he trained and received  fellowships in various advanced radiotherapy techniques: Stereotactic Radiotherapy in The Royal Marsden Hospital UK, Prostate Brachytherapy in Mount Vernon Hospital UK and IMRT in Princess Margaret Hospital Canada.

He was appointed as a Consultant Radiation Oncologist in May 2013 and works at  St James’s and St. Luke’s Hospitals. He sub-specialises in the radiotherapy treatment of breast and genitourinary cancers.

Dr Elbeltagi is an active member of many international radiation oncology societies. He has presented research at international conferences, he has numerous publications and is the  first author in many peer reviewed Journals e.g., The Green Journal and the Clinical Oncology Journal.

Mohamed Galal Ibrahim

Head of Physics Department

Hermitage Medical Clinic

Biography

Cyberknife (Acceptance, commissioning, planning)
IMRT
SRS
I-125
3DCRT
Dosimetry
LINAC commissioning and QA
Panning and plan checking
Physics quality manual maintaining

Karen Maher

HR professional and Chartered Fellow of CIPD

Biography

A HR professional and Chartered Fellow of CIPD with a background in Organisational and Workforce Development Consultancy and delivery. Specialist interests include Mediation, Coaching, Mentoring, Emotional Intelligence, Life Long Learning, and training design and delivery to meet specific organisational needs. Karen gained a wide range of experience in the UK and Ireland in both the Public and Private Sector in HR, Training, Organisational Development and Consultancy before establishing Karen Maher Associates.

Prior to Karen Maher Associates, she was a successful Management Consultant for SHRC Ltd and the Health Management Institute of Ireland with a reputation across both public and private health services as a first-class management consultant and trainer. Responsible for designing and delivering many successful development programmes including a popular Leadership and Management Development programme for nurses and midwives in the Dublin North East area as well as specific courses for Clinical Nurse Specialists and Public Health Nurses accredited by NMBI. She designed and delivered HMI programmes across the country focusing on a range of specific management skills as well one to one sessions dedicated to improving the professional and personal development and wellbeing of individuals from various healthcare organisations.

Previously employed in the UK by Cleveland Police specialising in Equality and Diversity, this role included the design and delivery of HR related training to Police Officers of all ranks. Karen was also employed for a number of years in Local Authorities in the North East of England as a Training Manager and Organisational Development Manager before moving to Ireland.

Educated to Masters levels, with a MA in HRM as well as a BA(Hons) in Education. A qualified Mediator, licensed to deliver and interpret the EQi2 Emotional Intelligence Test and skilled in coaching, mentoring and counselling

Passionate about HR and Organisational Development and helping people realise their full potential. Skilled in a wide range of management disciplines and tools to facilitate Training and experiential learning. Considerable background in working with individuals, facilitating their personal growth and development. Karen has significant experience working with healthcare organisation in delivering tailored solutions to meet specific organisational needs.

Dr. Paul Kelly

Biography

Dr. Paul Joseph Kelly – enrolled in Specialist Registration run by Irish Medical Council with reference number 124235. He is one of one thousand and six hundred and fourty three medical practitioners registered in the region of Cork county. Dr. Paul Joseph Kelly gained his qualifications of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in University College Cork with five hundred and eighty sixth doctors graduated in 2002. Doctor Kelly also completed training programme for specialists of Radiation Oncologist three years ago.

Sharon Foley

P

Biography

The Irish Hospice Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that promotes the hospice philosophy and supports the development of hospice and palliative care. Our vision is that no one should have to face death or bereavement without the care and support they need. Our mission is to strive for the best care at end of life , for all

Maureen King

Founder & CEO

ITrust Ethics

Biography

Maureen King, Founder & CEO is a leading specialist on matters of legislative compliance specific to the management and control of communications data. For over 25 years she has mainly worked in areas of risk and compliance with significant responsibilities.

She has extensive experience in providing evidence in Court and has directly interacted with Designated Judges of the High Court, the holder of the office of Complaints Referee and representatives from the Offices of the Data Protection Commissioner in relation to data management practices. Her qualifications extend to Business Management, Financial Crime, Criminology, Mobile Phone Forensics and she is currently undergoing Executive MBA at Dublin City University.

Maureen is a strong advocate for raising awareness of social consciousness, she is the Chair of the Board of Half Time Talk, a charity founded by Dublin GAA Footballer Philly McMahon to nurture self belief in youths, a member of the Cyber Advisory Group for the ISPCC and mentors young people by empowering them to unlock their potential.

John C. Flickinger, MD, FACR

Doctor, specializes in radiation oncology in Pittsburgh area

Biography

Michael Harty

Owner and Founder of Homecaredirect.ie

Biography

 Michael is an experienced entrepreneur, with an in-depth knowledge of the home care sector. Michael set up the agency, Home Care Plus in 2009 to provide quality non-medical care at home for people who through age or illness were finding it difficult to continue living independently.

He is former Chairperson of Home and Community Care Ireland (HCCI), a trade body formed in 2012 to represent private home care providers in Ireland. It is through Michael’s experience and knowledge with Home Care Plus and HCCI that he developed the concept for Home Care Direct, an online marketplace for carers and families to directly connect throughout Ireland.

Throughout his work in the sector, Michael has been an engaged and collaborative partner to Government, the Department of Health and the HSE.

Paddy McDonnell

Phoenix STS Ltd

University College Dublin

Biography

From 2000 until my retirement from the Department of Defence in 2010 I was a senior lecturer at the School of Military Engineering in the Irish Defence Forces Training Centre, lecturing on fire safety both operational and prevention, breathing apparatus, and road accident rescue.

I am a fire safety consultant with Phoenix STS Ltd where I specialises in fire safety and emergency management within healthcare, as a specialist adviser on healthcare fire safety training programs, pre- fire planning, and evacuation strategies.

I am a Member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, a Graduate member of the Institution of Fire Engineers and of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. I am also a Member of the National Association of Healthcare Fire Officers, National Fire Protection Association, Irish Institute of Training & Development and hold a level 8 qualification under National Framework of Qualifications in Occupational Safety and Health.

Specialties;
Drafting and Implementing Healthcare Fire Safety Management Systems.

Drafting and Implementing Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEP’s).

Emergency Planning within Healthcare.

Healthcare Fire Safety Management Training.

Table-Top Emergency Drills within Healthcare.

Fire Safety Risk Assessments, Inspecting and Drafting Snag Lists within Healthcare.

Advising on Building Regulations.

Richard Murphy

Founder & CEO of Zevo Health

Biography

Richard is the Founder & CEO of Zevo Health. Zevo Health has implemented wellness programmes successfully in companies throughout UK & Ireland. Working with companies with 50 to 10,000 staff he understands the pain points that go with organising and implementing a successful wellness programme.   His passion and determination in ensuring companies are healthy places to work both physically & mentally are evident, and he is happy to share this passion with you.

Ian Carter

CEO RCSI Hospital Group and Beaumont Hospital

RCSI Hospital Group

Biography

Ian Carter holds the positions of CEO RCSI Hospital Group and CEO Beaumont Hospital.

Ian was previously National Director of Hospitals, CEO of the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), Head of the Special Delivery Unit (SDU), CEO St James’ Hospital and General Manager Acute Hospitals Mid-Western Health Board.

Ian has also held positions in the UK: Director of Contracts and Business Administration, Regional Surgical Specialties Manager and Saudi Arabia: Assistant Hospital Manager and Director of Operations.

Ian is Adjunct Assistant Professor in Health Policy and Management at Trinity College and Adjunct Professor Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI).

Chris Flack

Founder and CEO

Unplug

Biography

Chris is the Founder & CEO of UnPlug. He spent the first fifteen years of his career in senior consulting and sales roles for large tech companies such as CapGemini and Avnet. Chris also brings a wealth of international experience to UnPlug, as a number of career breaks in his corporate life allowed him to spend four years travelling and working in international aid  organisations across four continents. As a former tech worker, he has experienced first-hand many of the negative impacts of information overload, and witnessed how distraction and an ‘always on’ culture has changed the lives of many people.

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Tom O’Callahan

CEO

iHeed

Biography

Tom is a practicing family doctor and one of Ireland’s leading digital healthcare entrepreneurs.  He has a strong track record of delivering many disruptive and innovative new primary healthcare services in Ireland to improve patient care. As a leading global advocate for digital health, he passionately believes in the use of technology to disrupt both traditional models of patient care and medical education to support those who need it most and at a cost that is affordable.

As CEO and Founder of iheed, a medical education company, he is stewarding the creation of next generation cloud-hosted mobile education solutions for family doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other community-based healthcare workers to improve patient care in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Americas. In this venture, he has successfully built and worked with a global network of Government Ministries and healthcare providers, as well as pharmaceutical, education, mobile, technology and donor organizations to develop new solutions, and has contributed significantly with leading research institutions to the gathering of research data supporting the improved impact on patient care of mobile education and its ability to deliver better value for money. He has published significantly across various journals and digital media channels on the urgent need to provide these new lower cost models of medical education to address the global shortage of healthcare workers, and is a regular contributor and speaker at UN and other leading global events. Tom has also chaired a number of large-scale donor-funded international public-private partnerships in health worker education.

Tom was appointed by the Irish Health Minister to the Irish Health Research Board and has also has held advisory positions on the Irish National Health Innovation Hub and with the Irish College Of General Practitioners, as well as supporting and mentoring a number of private healthcare technology companies and entrepreneurs.  In his present clinical work, Tom supports the delivery of inhouse family doctor services to the staff of Google in their European headquarters in Dublin.

John Connaghan

Deputy Director General, Chief Operations Officer, HSE

Biography

John is the Deputy Director General & Chief Operations Officer of the HSE.

Prior to joining the HSE, John was Director of Health Performance and Delivery and Chief Operating Officer at NHS Scotland, where his responsibilities included Supporting NHS Scotland in delivering safe, effective and person-centred care.

John has been a Director and Senior Civil Servant since 2006 when he joined the Scottish Government as Director of Delivery charged with reducing waiting times and improving the general performance of the NHS. He has held the position of Acting Director General and Chief Executive of the NHS and was awarded a CBE in the 2015 Birthday Honours.

John has 10 years experience in industry prior to joining the NHS in 1987. He was previously General Manager of the Manufacturing Division of a major publisher with responsibilities for factories in Scotland and the USA. He has held three Chief Executive positions in Glasgow, Lothian and Fife.

John was a founding Director of the Maggies Centres Charity and Chaired the Finance Committee for a period of 10 years. He plays hockey for Scotland Veterans and holds over 50 senior caps at Masters International level.

John holds degrees from Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian Universities in Business, Finance and Strategy.

Penelope Kate Briant

Co-Founder and Partner of CapVest Associates LLP

Biography

Ms. Penelope Kate Briant is a Co-Founder and Partner of CapVest Associates LLP, BreadVest LP, CapVest Partners LP, CapVest Partners II L.P. and CapVest Special Partners and limited Partner of various other subsidiaries of CapVest. She served as an Associate at BT Capital. She worked in Bankers Trust’s Project Finance Group where she executed a number of infrastructure financings. From 1993 to 1996, she worked in the Financial Institutional Services Team at Deloitte & Touche in Johannesburg. She served as the Chairman at RenoNorden Investments AS. She served as the Chairman of RenoNorden AS. She serves as a Director of Mater Private Healthcare, Mater Private Executive Trust Ltd.,Mater Private Hospital Foundation II Ltd, MP Healthcare, Healthcare Holdings, Kronfagel Holding AB and Scandinavian Standard Norway AS. She serves as Board Member of Master Private and Director of Valeo Foods. She served as a Director of IP Powerhouse Holdings Limited. She served as a Director at Scandi Standard AB (publ) since 2013. She served as a Director of Vaasan & Vaasan Oy. She served as a Director of RenoNorden ASA since September 2011 until May 19, 2017. She is a graduated with an honors B.A. in Business Commerce and Accounting Honours from the University of Cape Town. She is (CA(SA)) from South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority UK.

Prof. Arne Björnberg

Chairman, Health Consumer Powerhouse

Biography

Prof Arne Björnberg, Ph.D., Chairman, Health Consumer Powerhouse. Prof. Björnberg has previous experience from Research Director and management consulting positions in Swedish industry. He has also served as CEO of the Swedish National Pharmacy Corporation (”Apoteket AB”), Director of Healthcare & Network Solutions for IBM Europe Middle East & Africa, and CEO of the University Hospital of Northern Sweden (“Norrlands Universitetssjukhus”, Umeå).Since 2005, Prof. Björnberg has been the leader of the production of the HCP international indices, such as the EHCI 2005 – 2015 projects and numerous other, disease-related indices and projects.

DCI Vanessa Smith

Detective Chief Inspector West Yorkshire Cyber Crime Unit

Biography

Cyber Security is an exceptionally new and greatly debated topic within policing.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has launched the controversial investigatory powers bill, which could give police more power to look at our web history and mobile phones.

Vanessa has developed the cyber response strategy in order to combat the ongoing threat and to protect sensitive information.

Dr. Pierre Thirion

Specialist Consultant ,St Lukes

Biography

Dr Pierre Thirion, is a French trained radiation oncologist, presently holding a permanent specialist consultant position in St Luke’s Hospital, Dublin, and chairperson of the Radiation Oncology department. Dr Thirion completed his basic medical training at the University Paris V-René Descartes Medical School.

He completed his Fellowship in Radiation Oncology (University Paris-V), rotating through the main Parisian radiotherapy departments. In 1998, he completed an additional diploma in medical oncology (University Paris-XI). After working for two years as a Chef de Clinique des Universités – Assistant des Hôpitaux de Paris (Henri Mondor Hospital, Créteil, France), he moved to Ireland in 1999 and took a position of Clinical/Research Senior Registrar in St Luke’s Hospital, Dublin.

Since 2002, he has been working as a Consultant Radiation Oncologist at the latter hospital. Dr Thirion has a special interest in the treatment of prostate and other genito-urinary cancer, lung tumour, breast cancer, gastro-intestinal malignancies and lymphoma. He has a recognised expertise in new radiotherapy technologies, including IMRT and brachytherapy, and had a major role in the implementation and development of extra-cranial stereotactic radiation therapy in Beacon Hospital.

Dr Thirion completed a MD in radiobiology at the Curie Research Institute, Paris (University Paris XI-Paris Sud, 1996) and a post-graduate diploma in statistics (Trinity College Dublin, 2002).

His present areas of research and publications include:

• clinical trials methodology and meta-analyses
• the development of new radiotherapy technologies
• the implementation radiotherapy-oriented clinical trials.

He is the principal investigator of several national and international clinical trials, and is an executive member of the All Ireland Cooperative Oncology Research Group (ICORG) and other international research group (EORTC).

Christina Skourou

Senior Medical Physicist

St Lukes Hospital

Biography

Currently works at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Saint Luke’s Hospital (Ireland). Christina does research in Clinical Trials, Oncology and Medical Technology.

Fergus Clancy

Advisor & Non Exec Director in FC Advisory Limited

Executive Chairman of the Mater Private Group

Shareholder and non-executive director of CareChoice

Member of the Irish Medical Council

Biography

• I established a highly successful new business for one of the world’s largest insurance groups. I spun part of that business out into my own advisory firm.  This was a successful venture which was subsequently acquired by another of the world’s largest insurance groups.
• While running the advisory firm, I acted as advisor to Government, Boards and CEOs on a range of governance and risk management issues.
• I was CEO of Ireland’s premier healthcare services company. Led a private equity-backed management buy-out of that business and stayed at the helm for 10 years (including through Ireland’s economic crisis), growing the business materially during that period.
• More recently I participated in the buy-out of one of Ireland’s largest nursing home groups. I am a shareholder and non-executive director of that company.
• I have acted as non-executive chairman and/or director of a number of organisations in various settings including a major Irish insurance company (CBI regulated), a UK-based public/private partnership, a medical technology firm and a trade association.
• I am a comfortable public speaker. I have lectured and spoken frequently at national and international conferences and a variety of professional events.  I have significant media experience.
• I now take on a limited number of non-executive chairmanships and directorships and a select number of high-level advisory assignments.
• I enjoy some “extra-curricular” charity involvements, both as an advisor and investor.

Ann Marie Kennedy

Principal Medical Physicist at Beacon Hospital

Biography

Currently works at the Department of Radiotherapy, UPMC Beacon Hospital, Dublin. Anne marie does research in Medical Physics.

Dr Ray McDermott

Consultant Medical Oncologist of Beacon Medical Clinic

Biography

Dr Ray McDermott commenced his training in Medical Oncology at the Mater Hospital, Dublin during which time he completed an MBA in Health Services Management. He went on to The Institut Curie, Paris (2000-2002) where he completed a PhD in Tumour Immunology. He subsequently completed his clinical training at Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia (2002-2004), where he furthered an interest in Genito-Urinary Oncology. During this training period, he published over twenty peer reviewed articles and Book Chapters. He took up a post as Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Adelaide Meath & National Childrens Hospital, Tallaght in July 2004.

In 2006, Dr McDermott was instrumental in establishing Ireland as a main member of the Eastern Co-Operative Group, the largest clinical trials group in the USA with over 70 active studies. Dr McDermott is the Principal Investigator for Ireland in this initiative and is involved in twice yearly meetings with ECOG to develop this relationship. Dr McDermott is currently Vice-Chair of ICORG, the Irish Clinical Oncology Research Group. Under the auspices of the National Cancer Control Programme and the establishment of ‘Centres of Excellence’, Dr McDermott’s public hospital commitment has recently been split between AMNCH and St Vincent’s University Hospital, where he pursues his interest in genito-urinary and pancreas cancers. Along with Dr Jennifer Westrup, he has been involved in the establishment and growth of the cancer services at Beacon

Dr. Clare Faul

Clinical lead St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network- Beaumont Hospital

Biography

Clinical Fellow Radiation Oncology

1/1/93-31/3/94                        Toronto Sunnybrook

Regional Cancer Center,

University of Toronto,            Ontario, Canada

Assistant Professor Radiation Oncology

1996-2000                   University of Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania, USA

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center,

Magee Women’s Hospital.

The Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, is an integral member of the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, a Comprehensive Cancer Centre as designated by the National Cancer Institute.

Specialization in breast and gynecologic oncology.

Programme Director High Dose Rate Brachytherapy: University of Pittsburgh.

Certified in HDR brachytherapy and Nuclear Medicine (radiopharmaceutical therapy).

Consultant Radiation Oncologist

May 2002 – present    St Luke’s radiation Oncology Network

Consultant Radiaiton Oncologist |Hermitage Clinic.

1998  -2000                 Program Director High Dose Rate Brachytherapy, University of Pittsburgh.

2004 – 2010                             Appointed Chief Examiner Final Fellowship Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Radiology, RCSI

2002-presnt                             Lecturer RCSI

2010    Vice Dean Faculty of Radiologists, RCSI.

2011-present                           Clinical Lead and chair of senior management group SLRON @ Beaumont Hospital

Professor Dame Carol Black

Principal of Newnham College Cambridge

 Expert Adviser on Health and Work to NHS England and Public Health England

Biography

Professor Dame Carol Black DBE, FRCP, FMedSci chairs the Board of Think Ahead, the Government’s new fast-stream training programme for Mental Health Social Workers. She is a member of the Welsh Government’s Parliamentary Review of Health and Social Care in Wales and Bevan Commission on health in Wales, the board of UK Active, Rand Europe’s Council of Advisers, PwC’s Health Industries Oversight Board, and the Advisory Board of Step up to Serve. As Principal of Newnham she is on several committees in Cambridge University, for example the Advisory Board of the Centre for Science and Public Policy, and is one of the Deputy Vice- Chancellors.

In November 2011 when National Director for Health and Work she completed as Co-Chair an independent review for the UK Government of sickness absence in Britain. The recommendations of this report are now being put in place, with for example a national Fit for Work Service. She is now finishing a further independent review for the Government, of employment outcomes of addiction to drugs or alcohol, or obesity, and the benefits system.

Professor Black is a past-President of the Royal College of Physicians, of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, and of the British Lung Foundation, and past-Chair of the Nuffield Trust for health policy. The Centre she established at the Royal Free Hospital in London is internationally renowned for research and treatment of connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma. She is a Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery, of the Work Foundation, and of Uppingham School.

In February 2016 Dame Carol enjoyed the experience of being interviewed on BBC Radio’s Desert Island Discs.

Richard Kennedy

Owner , Fitness Freak

Biography

Richard is the owner of Fitness Freak, a fitness, and health food inspiring company. I am a motivational speaker, qualified Strength & Conditioning(BA)coach and personal trainer and I am the author of two cookbooks and I am a cook inspiring people to improve their lives by choosing healthy food alternatives via tastings, demonstrations, and nutrition programmes.

I run two mini-revolutions in my local town; Free Fruit For Kids in local shops and Free Fruit For ALL in South Tipp General Hospital. Here, baskets of free fruit, sponsored by local businesses, are available in three departments in the hospital administered by local secondary school transition year pupils.

Dubhfeasa Slattery

Chair of Medical Professionalism at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Biography

Dubhfeasa is Professor and chair of Medical Professionalism at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and BSHS. Prior to this she was head of Clinical Risk at the State Claims Agency, Dublin, where she authored multiple national reports analysing five years of data on incidents, medico-legal claims and costs for all public healthcare services. She is a Consultant Respiratory and General Paediatrician of 15 years and graduated from University of Dublin, Trinity. She completed her postgraduate training at the Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School before working there as a Consultant Respiratory Paediatrician. Subsequently she worked at the Children’s University Hospital Temple St., as head of the Respiratory and Cystic Fibrosis department.

Dubhfeasa has a PhD in Molecular Medicine and has published on basic science, translational, clinical and educational research.  She has received independent research grant funding, multiple national and international research awards and was one of three international recipients of an American Ireland Fund Award (2009) for her contribution to Paediatrics, research and fundraising.

Having held multiple national roles including Associate Dean of Hospital Inspections at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI 2010-2014), Dubhfeasa consolidated her interest in quality improvement in healthcare by completing a Diploma in Leadership and Quality in Healthcare (RCPI, 2014), the Safety, Quality, Informatics and Leadership programme (SQIL2015-16) through Harvard Medical School and the Harvard Quality and Leadership programme for international healthcare executives (2016).

Dubhfeasa has always enjoyed teaching: has a Master’s in Education for Healthcare Professionals (Queen’s University 2011) and has authored and delivered national courses. She is a fellow of the RCPI.

Dermot Goode

CEO Total Health Cover

Biography

Dermot Goode is the leading expert on healthcare benefits in Ireland. He has over 25 years experience in healthcare having worked with VHI, BUPA Ireland and healthcare consultancy roles with Irish Pensions Trust and Mercer Ltd. He established PHI Consulting (Ireland) Ltd in 2009 to provide advice on all aspects of healthcare cover in Ireland.  Now trading as Total Health Cover, he specialises in the corporate sector where he works with clients to secure the best terms and conditions from their healthcare providers.  He is a Qualified Financial Advisor (QFA) and also holds the APA qualification for general personal lines insurances.

He lectures on health insurance programmes with the Insurance Institute of Ireland (III) and is the co-author of their Accredited Product Advisor textbook for ‘Private Medical Insurance’. He also provides healthcare training services for the Irish Brokers Association (IBA). He is a regular contributor on both radio, television and in the print media advising individual and corporate consumers how to save money on their healthcare costs. He delivers key-note speeches on healthcare developments and trends at various industry forums across the country.

He developed the Total Health Cover concept to show individual consumers and employers how to find the best health insurance cover at the lowest cost, but more importantly how to source other complementary healthcare products such as Medical Cash, Dental, Eye-Care, Travel, Health Screening and many more to build the best healthcare package to suit your requirements. He has partnered with some of the leading healthcare providers in the country to make these products and services available to all consumers on one site.

Ana Santos

Medical Oncology Registrar

a the Beacon Hospital

Biography

Ana is a Medical Oncology Registrar at the Beacon Hospital

Beacon Hospital is a private hospital accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI).

Located in South Dublin, Beacon Hospital is one of the most advanced private hospitals in Europe, with over 1000 Consultants, nurses and healthcare professionals. Beacon Hospital provides 24 hour, world-class acute care services including orthopaedics, physiotherapy, cardiology, women’s health, urology, cardiothoracic surgery, vascular surgery, plastic & reconstructive surgery, ENT, neurology, general surgery, comprehensive cancer care, paediatrics, emergency medicin

Prof John Armstrong

Director of Research at St. Luke’s Hospital

Biography

Professor John Armstrong is a Board Member and ex-chairman of the Irish Cancer Society. Professor Armstrong was trained at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where he performed his residency and was Chief resident, attending for five years. He directed the lung cancer radiation research programme at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and co-authored the chapter on non-small cell lung cancer chapter in 4th edition of DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg, Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, Lippincott.

He is currently the Director of Research at St. Luke’s Hospital, Dublin. Professor Armstrong is the Principal Investigator for several clinical trials in the Irish Clinical Oncology Research Group.

Professor Armstrong has published numerous articles and has lectured extensively in the field of radiation oncology. He has been instrumental in the rollout of new procedures involving high-tech radiation therapy procedures such as Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery

John Ryan

CEO at Great Place to Work

Biography

John Ryan has been CEO at Great Place to Work in Ireland since January 2011. Previously, John was self-employed as a management consultant, providing services to indigenous organisations as well as foreign multinationals in the areas of Strategic Decision Making, Communications and Positive Behaviour Building.

A former broadcast journalist, John is a graduate of Business from Dublin City University having a specialisation in Marketing. He also holds a qualification from the University of Maynooth.

John lives in Bray, County Wicklow, with his wife Kelly and three young children. He loves golf and football (Arsenal fan). He also has a passion for current affairs and was Mayor of his local town. John was recently Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council.

Mohsen Javadpour

Beaumont Hospital · National Centre for Neurosurgery

Biography

Mohsen Javadpour currently works at the National Centre for Neurosurgery, Beaumont Hospital. Mohsen does research in Neurosurgery. Their most recent publication is ‘IgG4 hypophysitis – a rare and underdiagnosed cause of pituitary gland and stalk mass-like thickening.’

Paul Connors

National Director of Communications at HSE

Biography

Paul is National Director of Communications for the HSE. The HSE Communications Division works with health service teams all over the country. Together we create communications programmes that support a healthier nation and build health services that are valued by everyone in Ireland.

We work with all HSE Divisions, and support the new Hospital Groups and Community Health Organisations, to deliver over 500 Communications projects annually.

Dr. Ian Brennan

Radiation Oncologist

Beacon Hospital

Biography

Dr Ian Brennan has recently joined our Radiology team. Ian graduated with honours from UCD Medical School in 2000.

Following four years of basic surgical training and research in Dublin and Cork he commenced his Radiology specialty training in St James’s Hospital in 2006. In 2012, following completion of two years of specialist Fellowship training in Boston, he was appointed staff interventional and diagnostic radiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center with a faculty appointment to Harvard Medical School.

In 2015 he returned home to Ireland to take up a consultant appointment at St James’s Hospital Dublin, specialising in interventional radiology, interventional oncology and abdominal diagnostic imaging. His practice at the Beacon hospital will encompass all aspects of radiology and in particular oncologic imaging and minimally invasive therapy.

Noel Daly

Biography

Mary Day

Chief Executive Officer

Ireland East Hospital Group

Biography

Mary joined the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital in 2008 as Director of Nursing and assumed the concomitant function of Head of Operations in 2011. She was appointed as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems in December 2010. In January  2013, she took up the role of  Interim Chief Executive Officer with the appointment ratified to CEO in October.

Her professional career included a two-year term in the Department of Health & Children as Nurse Advisor in Professional/Practice Development, where she was responsible for supporting the Nursing Policy Division and advising the Department on all aspects of policy affecting nursing and midwifery education and healthcare services.

Ms. Day was formerly the Directorate Nurse Manager (ADON) in St James’s Hospital, Dublin for Haematology/Oncology, which incorporated the functions of operational management, strategic management, financial management, change management, training & education and quality assurance. Subsequent to this position, her previous experience covered diverse roles in oncology/haematology in the UK.

Her professional and academic qualifications include a BSc (Hons) in Cancer Nursing (1999) and an MSc in Health Service Management (2004).

Dr Richard Lee Kin

Clinical Director

Mint Clinic

Biography

Dr Richard Lee Kin is a specialist Periodontist. He is founder of the Mint Clinic in Adelaide Rd., Dublin 2 dealing exclusively with the management and treatment of gum disease in adults and children . Due to an ageing demographic and an increase in the prevalence of diabetes , it is likely to be the number one cause of tooth loss in Ireland in the future.

Dr Lee Kin is a graduate of the Dublin Dental Hospital and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He completed his specialist training in Periodontology & Implant Dentistry at the Dublin Dental School & Hospital (TCD) in 2010 and is a diplomate of the European Federation of Periodontology. Honorary secretary of the metropolitan branch of the Irish Dental Association (IDA) and Media Officer & Webmaster for the Irish Society of Periodontology.External assessor for Specialist Training in Dentistry (ICSTD) for the speciality of periodontology in 2016.

He lectures for the IDA & the IDHA nationally and has written a number of articles in dental journals. A dental advisor to rare disease groups .Oral health is his passion and has spoken on national radio about the future decline in the dental health of Irish patients.

Prof. Arne Björnberg

Chairman, Health Consumer Powerhouse

Biography

Prof Arne Björnberg, Ph.D., Chairman, Health Consumer Powerhouse. Prof. Björnberg has previous experience from Research Director and management consulting positions in Swedish industry. He has also served as CEO of the Swedish National Pharmacy Corporation (”Apoteket AB”), Director of Healthcare & Network Solutions for IBM Europe Middle East & Africa, and CEO of the University Hospital of Northern Sweden (“Norrlands Universitetssjukhus”, Umeå).Since 2005, Prof. Björnberg has been the leader of the production of the HCP international indices, such as the EHCI 2005 – 2015 projects and numerous other, disease-related indices and projects.