Children in Hospital Ireland & the European Association for Children in Hospital Conference 2010 

A New Children's Hospital -

A new future for children's health services in Ireland!

Children in Hospital Ireland is proud to host the biennial European Association for Children in Hospital Conference in Dublin in June 201 This prestigious event will showcase the most significant development in the delivery of hospital services and healthcare for children in Ireland: the new children's hospital.

The Minister for Health and Children Ms Mary Harney, TD, will be joined by a team of distinguished national and international contributors and commentators.

The conference which takes  place in Dublin Castle - a magnificant historical venue located in the heart of the city - offers a unique opportunity to hear from leading experts in the telivery of care of sick children and to network with national and international colleagues

Who should attend

Community and hospital clinicians, nursing and allied heatlh professionals, support groups, health services planners, parents and all who share a concern about how we care for our sick children.

Please put the date in your diary today and check the conference website for regular updates.

Children in Hospital Ireland's current PlayWell volunteers will meet up with founder members of the Galway Branch of CHI to commemorate the founding of the organisation 40 years ago and to celebrate the work of the CHI's current volunteers in University College Hospital Galway.

The driving force behind the setting up of the Galway Branch almost three decades ago was to provide play for the children in the children's unit of the hospital. The early members ran a very successful fundraising campaign to build a playroom in the unit and CHI's PlayWell volunteers are proud to continue in the spirit of the founding members.

Interestingly, the first Hospital Play Specialist in the country was employed in UCHG and CHI's PlayWell volunteer now work in collaboration with Play Specialist Ruth and the rest of the unit's dedicated staff.

 No doubt with so much success behing the group, the celebrations on Monday afternoon will go with a real Galway swing! 

Delegates from all over Europe, Japan and the US will today start arriving in Dublin for the European Association for Children in Hospital (EACH) meetings and conference. EACH meetings and AGM will take place throughout the week - the highlight will be the conference on Friday 18, which will focus on the development of the new Children's Hospital of Ireland. 

The Annual General Meeting of the Children in Hospital Ireland Limerick Branch will be held on Saturday 29 May 2010, in Woodfield House Hotel. Ms Dympna McMahon, National Chairperson of the organisation will address the Limerick Branch members.

The guest speaker is Ms Mary Sims, Director of Dochas - the association for children with autistic spectrum in the Mid West Region. Mary will give a presentation on her work with young children with autistic spectrum.

Children in Hospital Ireland's Mini Marathon Team will be out in force on the June Bank Holiday to support the work of the organisation. The dedication and support of those who have signed up with CHI is greatly appreciated. We rely heavily on fundraising and donations to allow us to continue to make hospital a happier place for children. The funds raised will support our PlayWell and JustAsk hospital volunteer services and our advocacy work on behalf of sick children and their parents.

To get a complete picture of our work, you can browse our website.

If you have entered for the 2010 Flora Women's Mini Marathon but are still looking for a charity to support, please consider Children in Hospital Ireland. Email info@childreninhospital.ie or locall 1890 25 26 82 and we will send you your CHI mini-marathon pack without delay!

A BIG THANK YOU to all who have signed up to run, walk ... and maybe in some cases crawl, to support Children in Hospital Ireland.

Your efforts will help make hospital a happier place for children!

The Consumer Affairs Department of the HSE have asked Children in Hospital Ireland to publicise the following event. This workshop will be of interest to our members and to anyone who uses the health services - especially those provided for children. Please contact Debbie Kavanagh as suggested below if you would like to attend.

HSE Standardised Complaints Investigation Workshop
A national working group was set up in 2009 to develop a standardised investigation process for the Health Service Executive that will be used following an incident or a complaint. The working group of which Patient Focus is a member has now developed a first draft of the Investigation Process and is holding a series of consultation workshop over the coming weeks in order to explain this Process to participants and invite their feedback.

One of these workshops will focus on patients/service users and/or their representatives only. This workshop will be held on Thursday 10th June in The Mill Room, Stewarts Hospital, Palmerstown, Dublin 20. The workshop will commence at 11am and finish at 3pm.

The workshop is free of charge and a light lunch and refreshments will be provided.
If you would like to attend this workshop, please send your name, email address and phone number to deborah.kavanagh@hse.ie or telephone Debbie Kavanagh on 01 6352389, or write to

Debbie Kavanagh,
PA to Edwina Dunne,
Director of Healthcare Audit,
Room 125, 1st Floor,
Dr Steevens’ Hospital.
Dublin 8
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