About the team
As the National Director of the Strategy and Research Directorate I welcome you to explore our interim webpages and learn more about what we do within the HSE.
Our team is part of the larger Healthcare Strategy Team and within it we are accountable for:
1. Global Health
2. Human rights and Equality Policy
3. Research and Evidence
4. Strategic planning and reporting
5. Health and Well being
The rest of the page gives an outline of our five functions, an overview of the programmes and work undertaken in each function and explains how you can contact us.
We look forward to collaborating and supporting you in whatever way we can.
National Director
Dr Philip Crowley
Global Health Programme
The main goal of the programme is to make an effective contribution towards improving health in less developed countries.
Key responsibilities
- Facilitate links between Irish health institutions and similar institutions in other countries
- Develop and implement initiatives to provide support to linked hospitals abroad such as the Health Programme-Memo of Understanding with Northern Ireland
- Facilitate overseas placements for HSE staff to support development projects or response to humanitarian disasters
- Document learnings from linked international health institutions and ensure these are applied in the HSE
Lead: Dr David Weakliam
Email: David.weakliam@hse.ie
Human Rights and Equality Policy
The HSE National Office of Human Rights and Equality Policy builds the capacity and capability of staff to comply with human rights policy and legislation.
Key responsibilities
Lead: Caoimhe Gleeson
Email: caoimhe.gleeson@hse.ie
Main webpage: HSE National Office for Human Rights and Equality Policy Office
Research and Evidence
The focus of the Research and Evidence function is to enable the healthcare system to embrace and maximise the use of data, research and published quality evidence to inform patient care, health service reform and population health & wellbeing
Key responsibilities
The National Health Intelligence Unit (NHIU) works with key stakeholders to provide them with the best available data to inform their decisions by:
- clarifying strategic information needs
- solving and addressing information gaps
- providing best available guidance
The NHIU delivers these insights through strong capabilities in:
- health analytical methods
- health analytic tools and applications
- expertise in Irish health service data
- programme management and infrastructure support
HSE Research and Development is delivering on the HSE Action Plan for Health Research (2019-2029) by working with the health delivery organisations to:
- develop research governance, management and support structures, policy and guidance
- grow research activity
- embed research as part of health service delivery.
- ensure compliance to best practice and regulatory requirements
- improve efficiencies and build research capacity
HSE Health Library Ireland provides access to key knowledge resources and services which are essential to inform the delivery of care. It has a 5-year strategy in place "Turning knowledge into action 2018-2023". It outlines how they will build on their services such as:
In-person services delivered via a national network of 29 libraries and remote access to digital knowledge resources to HSE staff, healthcare professional trainees and partner organisations.
Virtual services including
- online repositories
- summaries of evidence
- research bulletins
- information skills training
- knowledge brokering
- Space for innovation: Makespace
Lead: Ana Terrés
Email: Ana.terres@hse.ie
National Strategic Planning and Reporting
Working in partnership across service teams, we enable and facilitate a whole-of-system approach to national strategic planning and reporting by identifying, synthesising and integrating system-wide insights.
Key responsibilities
- Facilitate aligned strategic planning and reporting efforts through the establishment of standardised national strategic frameworks and guidance and synthesis of key strategic insights
- Working in close collaboration across the service teams, deliver on following legislative commitments, reflecting key strategic priorities and programmes:
- Multi-annual Corporate Plan
- Annual National Services Plan, informing the annual Estimates process
- Annual Report, showcasing achievements and areas of improvement
- Board Strategic Scorecard
- Liaison with the Department of Health on related initiatives
Lead: L Miin Alikhan
Email: miin.alikhan@hse.ie
HSE Climate Action Programme
This office is working on the development and delivery of a system-wide HSE Climate Action approach. The recently published HSE Climate Action Strategy 2023 – 2050 outlines the HSE’s ambitions, actions, and goals to accelerate positive action to help tackle the climate crisis. It builds on existing work of the HSE Capital & Estates and the Sustainability Office.
The Strategy addresses our mandated priorities in the Government's Climate Action Plans focused on energy efficiency. It also looks to move beyond this, by showing leadership and commitment to integrate sustainable actions and principles across areas such as buildings, green space development, transport, greener models of healthcare, procurement and more.
Delivering the strategy collaborative, and ongoing action working together with our staff, Public Sector colleagues, patients, partners, and communities who will play a critical role to reduce our collective contribution to green house gas emissions.
HSE Climate Action Strategy 2023-50
Lead: Roisin Breen
Email: roisin.breen@hse.ie
HSE Health and Wellbeing
This function works to develop, deliver and promote evidenced based health and wellbeing initiatives in Ireland. It targets key population groups in relation to their health and wellbeing needs.
It’s made up of a number of Policy Priority Programmes (detailed below) and works with:
- local CHO Health and Wellbeing Heads of Service
- local CHO staff
- many Section 39 Agencies (such as hospices, mental health providers, nursing home and homecare providers, small community-based groups and social care services)
Key responsibilities
Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme
This delivers on the HSE commitments in the Department of Health Sexual Health Strategy and covers:
- sexual health promotion
- sexual health intelligence
- sexual health services
Healthy Eating and Active Living Programme
This delivers on the National Physical Activity Plan and the Obesity Policy and Action Plan. It targets the public and mobilises the health service to improve healthy eating and physical activity levels.
Alcohol Programme
This aims to achieve a healthier and safer Ireland by
- working to reduce individual and population alcohol consumption and health inequalities
- protecting children, families and communities from alcohol-related harm
This covers the askaboutalcohol.ie campaign and website.
Mental Health and Wellbeing aim is to promote positive mental health and wellbeing across the population and among priority groups.
Staff Health and Wellbeing works to raise awareness, promote healthier lifestyle choices and create enabling work environments to support staff health.
Tobacco Free Ireland Programme
This delivers on the Tobacco-free Ireland (PDF) plan and covers:
- development and provision of stop-smoking services
- the national QUIT campaign
- associated policies such as the HSE Tobacco Free Campus policy
Lead: Helen Deely
Email: helen.deely@hse.ie
Webpage: HSE Health and Wellbeing
Connect with us
Email: strategyandresearch@hse.ie
Address:
Dr. Philip Crowley, National Director
Strategy and Research
Health Service Executive
Room 151
Dr Steevens Hospital
Steevens Lane
Co Dublin DO8 W2A8
