On 12 October 2023 the HSE Operational Performance and Integration Directorate and the HSE National Patients’ Forum hosted Ireland’s first Patient Partnership Conference from 10am to 4pm in the Convention Centre, Dublin.
The first annual HSE National Conference on Patient and Public Partnership was a highly successful and important landmark conference which was organised by patient groups and HSE staff working together. It was a wonderful opportunity to discuss, debate, listen and learn from each other.
This conference marked a commitment to change how we invite people to participate in health and social care. It confirms the HSE’s intention to place people at the heart of our practices, our processes, our programmes, our policies and our systems.
You will find the final report from the conference here: HSE Patient and Public Partnership Conference 2023 (PDF, size 1.1 MB, 17 pages)
Planning for the 2024 Conference which will take place in Dublin Castle on September 27 is currently underway. This 2024 partnership conference will build on last year’s event. More information including registration details will be available shortly.
You will find the 2023 conference information here: 2023 Conference Information (hsepatientconference.ie)
This conference, which was one of the first of its kind, focused on and looked at how the HSE works in partnership with patients and members of the public to design and deliver person-centred care. Conference participants explored how co-design, co-decision-making, co-implementation, and co-evaluation can take place. They discussed how HSE services can partner with patients and the public to ensure they can influence decisions on the design, delivery and evaluation of services.
There were discussions on how this can start at the national level and filter down to the regional and local levels. Partnering with patients and the public calls for patient representatives on boards, advisory panels, strategy working groups, project teams, and hospital councils. It is about demonstrating how HSE services and staff can listen to the patient and public experience voices and how we can collaborate with those with this experience. This conference is about focusing on building better, together.
Naturally, the vision shared at the conference will not be achieved in a day, and we plan to make this the first in a series of annual dialogues between the patient and service user community and the health service. Giving life to this shared patient and public partnership agenda will see us develop new policy, build new capacity and achieve real change in how we view patients and service users. We plan to discuss how we realise this, and more, throughout the day.
This event was chaired by Dr. John Fitzsimons, a consultant Paediatrician who works in Children’s Hospital Ireland. The conference will feature discussions around the patient partnership model, panel discussions with staff, patients and service users, as well as presentations to highlight partnership in action and workshops to explore future partnership goals.
HSE National Director Operational Performance Integration, Joe Ryan, said: ‘‘This is a very important conference. We know that working in partnership with patients and the public ultimately delivers better health outcomes. The HSE is fully committed to partnering with patients to ensure they can influence decisions on the design, delivery and evaluation of health services. We know we have a way to go to achieve all of our aims but this conference is an important opportunity for discussion and debate. I am delighted this event is taking place and look forward to taking part and, ultimately, to working with colleagues on the next steps needed to realise our vision in this area. ’’
“We are delighted to give life to a new approach to partnership, and our members look forward to engaging with opportunities to partner across the HSE.” Laura Kavanagh, IPPOSI and Co-Chair of the National Patients’ Forum.
"The essence of genuine partnership lies in collaborative equal relationships and thrives in a culture of cooperation. The early idea for this conference, coming from the members of the HSE patient forum, needed it to be met by people in the HSE with a 'partnership' mind-set. It is this spirit of cooperation that has brought us to the point of seeing the idea become a reality. This is an event that I am truly pleased to see happen and one that I hope is just the first of many" - Anne Lawlor, Chair HSE Patient Forum
