National Director Population Health - Dr. Pat Doorley

Millennium Park, Naas, Co. Kildare
Tel: 045 880 400
Email: patrick.doorley@hse.ie

Dr Pat Doorley is the National Director of Population Health. He is supported by seven Assistant National Directors.
The Directorate aims to support the HSE over time to become a population health organisation i.e. one which sees itself as being accountable for improving health outcomes and health status.

This means disseminating a Population Health approach as widely as possible in the organization The Population Health function comprises of the disciplines of Public Health Medicine, Health Promotion and the former NDSC now HPSC (Health Protection Surveillence Centre). Public Health Medicine was formerly organised around eight separate departments and Health Promotion around ten separate departments. The Health Protection function integrates this work with that of the Communicable Disease Control function so that the impact of communicable disease is minimised. All these disciplines are now being brought together in one national function that will allow specialisation at national level and therefore greater influence on the delivery system. The public health function is organised almost entirely on a national basis but with a strong local infectious diseases component.

Health Status in Ireland Challenges for the Future.pdf (size 99.9 KB)

Click here to link to HSE Public Health Publications

The Assistant National Directors in this area are:

Dr Kevin Kelleher - Assistant National Director Health Protection

31-33 Catherine Street, Limerick
Tel: 061 483 338
Email: kevin.kelleher@hse.ie

Dr Kelleher heads up the area of Health Protection which ensures the public are protected from infectious diseases and from harm as a result of environmental hazards. His job includes leading on Health Care Acquired Infection for the HSE, the integration of the national infectious disease surveillance function with that of the national infectious disease control function and the national immunisation programme. All public health staff working in this area will come under the Health Protection function.

Link to HSE Health Protection Publications
Link to HSE Sexual Health Publications

Link to HSE Health Protection Surveillence Centre

Link to HSE Immunisation Website

Dr. Marie Laffoy - Assistant National Director Planning & Evaluation

Dr. Steeven's Hospital, Dublin 8
Tel: 01 635 2170
Email: marie.laffoy@hse.ie

Dr Laffoy leads on planning and evaluation for the Population Health Directorate. She works with the lead Assistant Directors and other directorates on planning issues. She links with SPRI , whose aims the Directorate will support as strongly as possible and she also leads on the Estimates process and on specific planning projects.

Dr. Davida De La Harpe - Assistant National Director Health Intelligence

Mezzanine Floor, Stewarts Sports Centre, Palmerstown, Dublin 20
Tel: 01 642 6910
Email: davida.delaharpe@hse.ie

Dr De La Harpe leads on the following areas:

• The development of a health research strategy for the HSE
• The sourcing of evidence on best practice relating to specific interventions in planning and policy supporting the process of putting this evidence into practice. This has major change management implications
• The critical analysis of data to support planning and evaluation.
• Enhancing capacity in health technology assessment and health impact assessment
• Providing specific support to individuals and groups within the HSE on identified priority areas
  Areas where evidence might be applied to improve service planning and delivery include the organisation of cancer services and the treatment of more people who have long term illness like heart disease and diabetes in primary care rather than in hospital. The evidence shows that we can prevent many complications of these illnesses and that we can get equally good outcomes in Primary Care and at the same time prevent hospital admissions.

Link to HSE Health Intelligence Section of Website

Catherine Murphy - Assistant National Director Health Promotion

Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital, Western Road, Cork
Tel: 021 492 1666
Email: catherine.murphy@mailp.hse.ie

Ms Murphy leads the Health Promotion function. Health Promotion programmes are conducted in settings such as schools, work places, communities and the health service itself. An important element of this work is the creation of relationships with other sectors such as Local Sports Partnerships led by John Treacy. Health Promotion staff also work with local authorities to promote physical activity, the County Development Boards, the Food Safety Promotion Board to promote healthy eating and the Department of Health and Children to support policy making. The HSE is conducting some innovative projects in relation to tackling obesity e.g. getting GPs to prescribe physical activity for their patients, the establishment and running of low income nutrition projects and work with the Irish Heart Foundation and schools to promote physical activity for children. The HSE sponsorship of the Community Games is not just a communications exercise aimed at profiling the HSE but also offers us the opportunity to work in a more sustained way with local communities to promote physical activity.

Link to Health Promotion Website

Gavin Maguire - Assistant National Director Emergency Planning

Block B, The Civic Centre, Bray, Co. Wicklow
Tel: 01 274 4200
Email: gavin.maguire@hse.ie

Population Health is leading on the improvement of preparedness for an Influenza Pandemic. The Directorate is working with the NHO and PCCC on the development of specific plans for all hospitals and PCCC services. An Influenza Pandemic is possibly the single greatest area of risk for the HSE. Because of the threat of bio-terrorism and the more immediate threat of an Influenza Pandemic we are now improving our public health infrastructure to enhance public preparedness for a possible Influenza Pandemic. We have also participated jointly with the DoHC in a major EU exercise to test preparedness for a smallpox attack and for an Influenza Pandemic. The national and local structures for Emergency Planning have been agreed by the HSE. A lot of work has already been done in this area with approximately 200 staff throughout the HSE involved.

Click here to link to HSE Emergency Management Publications

Martin Devine - Assistant National Director Environmental Health

Millennium Park, Naas, Co. Kildare
Tel: 045 880 400
Email: martin.devine1@hse.ie

Mr Devine has a strategic role working with the DoHC on the development of National Environmental Health Planning and will have a lead role in its implementation for the HSE. His role also involves working with the Office for Tobacco Control to ensure the development of a comprehensive database to support inspection of all premises covered by tobacco legislation and the development of linkages with the Environmental Protection Agency to work in partnership with them on threats to environmental health.

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