Tony Canavan
CEO Saolta University Healthcare Group, University Hospital Galway
Tony has worked in the health services since 1993 across a range of services including Mental Health Services, Public Health, Primary Care and Corporate Services.
Tony’s first senior management appointment was in 2002 as General Manager of Mayo General Hospital. In 2009 he was appointed General Manager of Primary Community and Continuing Care for County Galway. Tony was appointed Chief Operating Officer to what became known as the Saolta Hospital Group in 2012. During 2012 – 2013 Tony was also General Manager of Galway University Hospital. Following this, he was appointed Chief Officer for Galway, Mayo and Roscommon Community Healthcare Organisation in 2015. Tony moved to his current role as CEO Saolta University Healthcare Group in September 2019.
Tony has recently been elected as President of the Health Management Institute and is a member of the scientific subcommittee of the European Association of Hospital Mangers (EAHM).
Bernard Gloster
Chief Executive Officer, Health Service Executive
Bernard Gloster took up the post of Chief Executive Officer of the HSE in March 2023. He has worked in health and social services for over 34 years, and rejoined the HSE from the state Child and Family Agency Tusla, where he served as Chief Executive Officer from September 2019. Prior to that, he held several senior management positions within the HSE including Chief Officer of HSE Mid West Community Healthcare. He also worked in and managed both community and acute hospital operations. He is a social care worker by profession, holds an MBA from Oxford Brookes University and an MSc in Management Practice from UCC.
Mellany McLoone
Chief Officer, Community Healthcare Organisation, Dublin North City and County (CHO DNCC)
Mellany has held the position of Chief Officer of Community Healthcare Organisation Dublin North City and County (CHO DNCC) since March 2019.
As Chief Officer, Mellany is responsible for the delivery of community healthcare services in Dublin North City and County in the areas of Primary Care, Older Persons, Disabilities, Mental Health, Health and Wellbeing and Quality, Safety and Service Improvement to a population of approximately 621,000.
With significant experience in the Irish public health system over the past three decades, she has worked in a number of senior management and leadership roles in the areas of human resources, business support and operational management in hospitals, community services and Tulsa.
Mellany holds a Masters in Organisational Leadership from the Royal College of Surgeon’s Institute of Leadership and an Advanced Diploma in Applied Employment Law from Kings Inn. She has also been awarded a Degree in HR and Industrial Relations from the National College of Ireland and the Irish Management Institute’s Graduate Award in Executive Healthcare Leadership and Health Service.
Dr Douglas Sutherland
Head of the Structural Surveillance Division
OECD Economics Department
Douglas Sutherland is Head of the Structural Surveillance Division in the OECD’s Economics Department. In this role he supervises teams working on climate change and environmental economics, regulation and competition, labour markets and inequality, resilience and global value chains and identifying structural reform priorities. He has previously prepared regular economic projections and the biannaual OECD Economic Surveys for Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Russia and the United States. During his career at the OECD he has also written on a wide range of issues including public finance and spending efficiency, counter-cyclical economic policies and macroeconomic stability, sustainable development, infrastructure investment, and oil prices.
Professor Steve Thomas
Edward Kennedy Chair of Health Policy and Management, Trinity College
Steve is the Edward Kennedy Chair of Health Policy and Management in Trinity College Dublin. He is also a Health Research Board Research Leader with his RESTORE programme, focussed on heath system resilience and reform. He has a wealth of international experience in policy oriented research and post-graduate teaching and education in government and academia over the last 28 years. He has strong international linkages with WHO, the European and North American Observatories for Health Systems and Policies, the EU and the OCED.
His research interests include health systems evaluation, health financing, health economics and health policy analysis, and workforce planning and motivation. He is currently editing an Edward Elgar Handbook on Health System Resilience. He served for ten years as a co-Director of the national SPHERE PhD programme which has successfully trained over 80 PhD candidates. His track record in policy influence is outstanding. He led the Trinity team in support of the Oireachtas Committee for the Future of Healthcare and its production of Sláintecare.
Robert Watt
Secretary General, Department of Health
Robert Watt is Secretary General of the Department of Health in Ireland. He leads the Department of over 600 people in providing leadership and policy direction for the health sector.
Previously, Robert spent ten years as Secretary General in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. With the Department of Finance, he managed the budget and estimates process. During this period Robert was one of the principal advisers to the Government on economic, budgetary and financial policy issues. He was centrally involved in the management of the Troika Programme.
Robert is an economist and has experience in both the public and private sectors. He has worked in several roles within the Department of Finance as well as previously working as an Economic Consultant and a Lecturer. He has been a member of numerous boards including the board of the NTMA and the Economic Management Council. He is currently a Board member of the Football Association of Ireland.
Michael Nicholson
Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Community, Cultural and Social Development Directorate, Wicklow County Council
Michael is Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Community, Cultural and Social Development directorate in Wicklow County Council. Michael has worked in a number of different Local Authorities during his long career and remains as passionate about Local Government today as he was when his career started many years ago. Michael is also Chief Officer of County Wicklow Local Community Development Committee and he represents the Local Government sector on the Rural Development, Community, Culture and Heritage Committee of the CCMA and he sits on a number of Working groups including the Healthy Ireland working group.
Dr Caroline Whelan
CEO, Blackrock Health Care Group
Dr. Caroline Whelan is the CEO of Blackrock Health, Ireland’s newest private hospital group, bringing together three of Ireland’s leading private hospitals, Blackrock Clinic, Galway Clinic and Hermitage Clinic, and a diagnostic clinic in Limerick and heads up a team of more than 2,800 staff and more than 600 consultants across 50 specialist areas. Caroline is passionate about healthcare and brings her drive, vision and innovation to Blackrock Health, with an ambition to maintain position as the leading private hospital group in Ireland, and develop strong collaborative relationships with public, private, academia, industry and international partners.
Professor Aine Carroll
Professor of Healthcare Integration and Improvement, UCD, and Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine, National Rehabilitation University Hospital, Dublin
Áine is Professor of Healthcare Integration and Improvement at University College Dublin, Ireland and a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine at the National Rehabilitation University Hospital in Dublin. She is current Chair of the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC) and co-Director of IFIC Ireland, a collaborative hub established to support integrated care activities in Ireland.
Prior to this, she was National Director of the Clinical Strategy and Programmes Division in the Irish healthcare system, the Health Services Executive (HSE). During her tenure, Professor Carroll established the Integrated Care Programmes for Older Persons, Chronic Disease, Children’s Health and Patient Flow to promote coordinated care and teamwork across services and specialties, ensuring that care is provided effectively and seamlessly to patients as they move through the system. Áine is known for her expertise in integrated care, whole system change and implementation.
An experienced senior researcher and improvement advisor, she has provided advice, guidance and training on integrated care, improvement and change to leaders of healthcare systems across the world. She has over 100 publications and has held many competitive research grants, totalling over 10 million euro. She is passionate about Person-centred coordinated care, complexity theory in healthcare and the power of stories.
Ellen O’Dea
Head of Service, Community Health Organisation, Dublin North City and County, HSE
Ellen O’Dea is Head of Service for Health and Wellbeing in Community Health Organisation Dublin North City and County since November 2016. In her role Ellen provides leadership for Health and Wellbeing within the CHO by embedding prevention and early detection, chronic disease management and self-care into clinical care pathways.
With a clinical background in Occupational Therapy Ellen has worked in acute and community settings in the UK, Australia and Ireland. Other management roles within the HSE have included Occupational Therapy Manager, Primary Care Manager and General Manager for Primary Care and Disability Services. Ellen’s interests include quality improvement, chronic disease management, health literacy, addressing health inequalities, and community participation in health.
Ellen has been awarded a BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy, a Diploma in Leadership and Quality in Healthcare from RCPI and an MSc in Health Service Management from Trinity College Dublin.
Linda Ni Ghallchoir
Slaintecare Social Prescribing Link Worker
Linda Ni Ghallchoir is a Slaintecare Social Prescribing Link Worker based in the Donegal Gaeltacht, covering the Rosses, Fintown and Arranmore and Tory Island.
Prior to taking up the role in 2020 Linda worked in homelessness, rehabilitation, early years research and Mental Health education.
With a passion for on the ground local community support and early intervention, as well as advocating for the provision of services in the Irish language, Linda currently sits on the board for the National HSE Social Prescribing Advisory group who are working on evaluation tools and referral criteria for the growing numbers of social prescribing participants.
Paul Rogers
CEO Northside Partnership
Paul Rogers is the CEO of Northside Partnership. He has extensive experience of working within the community and voluntary sector in the areas of local and community development, charities governance, strategic planning, organisational development, communications, project management and IT. In leading Northside Partnership, Paul has overseen the implementation of an Advantaged Thinking practice framework that seeks to counter the narrative of disadvantage and works with people in building upon their capabilities.
A native of Coolock, he previously spent 14 years working with the Dublin North West Area Partnership in a number of senior roles including that of Local and Community Development Programme Manager. Prior to that Paul worked in the clothing industry before returning to college as a mature student. Paul has also worked as an instructional designer in the IT sector before moving into the community and voluntary sector in 2001.
An advocate of partnership and interagency collaboration, Paul is fully aware of the challenges faced by community and voluntary organisations in carrying out their social purpose having served on the governance structures of a number of organisations working to address a range of issues including health and wellbeing, long term unemployment, impact of criminal networks, suicide prevention and voter education. Paul currently serves on the board of SpeedPak Social Enterprises, Northside Homecare Services and is the Chair of Community Law and Mediation. Paul also serves on the Dublin City Local and Community Development Committee (LCDC) and the Dublin North Children and Young Peoples’ Services Committee (CYPSC).
Dr Stanley DW Miller
National Clinical Lead Respiratory
Dr. Stanley Miller is a graduate and scholar of Trinity College, Dublin and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. He has a background in basic science research relating to alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and was awarded his MD by the National University of Ireland in 2008. He was a European Respiratory Society Research Fellow in non-invasive ventilation at St. James’ University Hospital, Leeds from 2007 to 2009, and subsequently spent 11 years as a Consultant Respiratory Physician at St. James’ University Hospital, Leeds where he was Lead Respiratory Physician for the Leeds Integrated COPD Service and the Leeds Virtual Respiratory Ward. His clinical subspecialty interests include Integrated Respiratory Care, COPD and Alpha-1 antitrypsin Deficiency, Non-invasive ventilation and Sleep, and Interventional Bronchoscopy (EBUS and Endobronchial Valve placement). He is a Consultant Respiratory Physician at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital / CHO9, Associate Clinical Professor UCD School of Medicine, Co-chair of the Irish Thoracic Society Tobacco Control Advisory Group, and has been the National Clinical Lead for Respiratory since August 2022.
Breda Crehan-Roche
Healthcare Management Consultant
Breda is now working as a Management Consultant with MBMR Training and Consultancy Ltd. where she is a Director. She is also Vice President of HMI. Breda retired from HSE in September 2023, from her post as Chief Officer of Community Healthcare West a post she held from 2020. Community Healthcare West includes Primary Care, Mental Health, Older Persons Services, Disability Services and Health and Well-being Services for Counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon.
From September 2005 to December 2019 Breda was Chief Executive Officer of Ability West, a Section 39 funded organisation providing services to children and adults with intellectual disability throughout Galway city and county. Over the years Breda held a number of senior management positions, in the Midland Health Board culminating in Assistant CEO of Community Care Services and previous to that Director of Services for Persons with Disabilities. In March 2005 she was appointed Assistant National Director of Social Inclusion in the newly formed Health Service Executive a role she covered until August 2005.
Breda is Registered Nurse, Montessori Teacher, has an MSc in Economics and Healthcare Management from the University of Wales, a MBS from University of Limerick and a Certificate in Charity Law, Governance and Trusteeship from the Law Society.
Mary Warde
Head of Primary Care Services, Community Health Organisation West
Mary is currently Head of Primary Care in Community Healthcare West(CHO2) which cover scounties Galway Mayo and Roscommon. She has 31 years’ experience working in a diverse range of health services in Ireland. Mary’s career history includes working in the hospital setting, residential services and across the majority of community divisions. She has held senior management positions for 16 of my 31 years including Head of Health and Wellbeing CHW, General Manager in Primary Care and General Manager in Disability services.
Through her clinical training and various management courses, Mary has adapted to become a transformational leader who motivates others to excel and promote positive change. She has also developed strong and effective working relationships with key members within the Hospital and Community Setting. Mary believes that the key to implementing change is to bring the right people together, to listen and learn from past experiences to support them and give them the tools to deliver safe accessible care. She believes in people and is passionate about trying to do the right thing for those that need our assistance. Mary is committed to always remaining client-centric. She uses reflective practice to review her decisions and consequences of these decisions, using the outcome for the patient as her motivation to perform.
Ann Cosgrove
Chief Operations Officer, Saolta University Health Care Group
Ann Cosgrove is Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Saolta University Health Care Group which is comprised of 7 hospital sites across the west and northwest of Ireland. The Group employs 11,799 staff, has a budget in excess of €1.07bn and provides acute hospital care to over 760,000 people across one third of the country. In her role as COO, Ann is responsible for overseeing the operational delivery of services across the Saolta Group, with a particular focus on scheduled and unscheduled care and integration with Community.
Ann has significant experience in health service management and has worked in hospital and community roles. Prior to her appointment as COO of the Saolta Group in 2015, Ann was Hospital Manager at Galway University Hospitals, the level 4 tertiary hospital within the Saolta Group.
Ann holds a Bachelor of Business Studies degree, a Diploma in Leadership & Quality in Health Care RCPI and a Masters in Leadership in Health Care, UCC.
Prof Michelle Canavan
Consultant Geriatrician and Clinical Lead for Galway Integrated Care Programme
Prof Michelle Canavan is a Consultant Geriatrician and Clinical Lead for Galway Integrated Care Programme for Older Persons (ICPOP). She graduated from Trinity College 2006 and trained at St James and Tallaght University Hospitals before beginning Geriatric Medicine HST in Galway in 2010. She completed her PhD at University of Galway in 2015 which focused on functional outcomes of cardiovascular disease. She is a consultant Geriatrician at UHG since 2018. She developed the Orthogeriatric service at UHG in conjunction with the National Hip Fracture Database. She was clinical lead for implementation of pilot Sláintecare funded ICPOP team in Galway in 2019 which has now been mainstreamed as part of the ECC programme with 3 integrated older person teams in Galway and Roscommon. She has recently been appointed as Professor of Older Adult Health at the University of Galway and leads the academic programme on integrated care delivery, digitally connected health and interprofessional learning.
Damien McCallion
Chief Operations Officer , Health Service Executive
Damien is currently the Chief Operations Officer in the HSE responsible for oversight of day-to-day operations within the HSE and over 100,000 staff. The HSE is responsible for the delivery of Health and Social care in Ireland.
He recently took on a lead role in the COVID pandemic response as the head of the successful Vaccination and Test &Trace programmes. These were a key part of the nation’s public health response to the pandemic.
He has held a variety of roles prior to this including leading the HSE’s response to the screening crisis and re-establishing trust in the states cervical screening programme. He also was Head of the National Ambulance Service, Head of ICT in the HSE, National Director for Emergency Management and Special Delivery Unit, led the establishment of regions in the HSE as part of a major reform programme and was Area Manager for Health Services in the North West. Prior to this, he worked in the airline industry for ten years.
He has also had a strong interest in cross border co-operation and served as chairperson and Director General of the organisation responsible for cross border health programmes, CAWT. He is also currently the Deputy Chairperson of Safefood, which is an all-island body set up under the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999 to promote awareness and knowledge of food safety and nutrition on the island of Ireland.
Damien originally qualified from Letterkenny IT in computing and subsequently completed an MSC in Innovation Management between University of Ulster and Letterkenny IT.