NEW CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TO BE DISCUSSED AT MAJOR CONFERENCE

Children in Hospital Ireland (CHI) is hosting the biennial European Association for Children in Hospital Conference in Dublin this June and will showcase and discuss the development of the new Children’s Hospital of Ireland with leading national and international contributors and commentators.

The event on June 18 in Dublin Castle is entitled A New Children’s Hospital – A New Future for Children’s Health Services in Ireland. The conference theme focuses on the most significant development to take place in over 50 years of the delivery of hospital services for children in Ireland – the building of a new hospital that aims to revolutionise how sick children will be cared for.

Up for discussion is:

• The vision and new operational philosophies underpinning the hospital and the challenges that are being presented.
• New models of care, parental supports and new technologies.
• The human characteristics key to the successful merging and blending of three institutions into a new entity. 
• The visually and conceptually exciting overview of the new hospital as presented by its design team.
• How the hospital will interface with the Greater Dublin Area and aim to be a hub of excellence for the whole country.  
• How the children’s voices have shaped the development of the new hospital.

Speakers include:

• Mary Harney TD, Minister for Health and Children;
• Professor Brendan Drumm, Health Service Executive CEO;
• Eilísh Hardiman, National Paediatric Hospital CEO;
• Dr James Levin, Chief Medical Information Officer, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
• Dr Morgan Jamieson, Surgeon and former Medical Director at Yorkhill Children’s Hospital, Glasgow;
• Isabella Funck-Brentano, Neckar Children’s Hospital, Paris.

 Speaking ahead of the conference, Mary O’Connor, Children in Hospital Ireland CEO said: “This unique conference will be of interest to international and national communities and hospital clinicians and health planners, allied health professionals, voluntary condition and illness support groups, parents and all who share a concern about how we look after our sick children. Delegates will have opportunities to interact with national and international speakers and with our European colleagues from over 15 countries.”

Those wishing to attend can avail of an early registration rate of €85 up until Friday, May 14. The late registration rate, from May 15 up to the date of the conference, is €100. Anyone wishing to register can contact log onto www.childreninhospital.ieor contact Louise Ryan of Conference Partners Ltd, at 01 2967252 or e-mail louise@conferencepartners.ie. The website also contains the conference programme, speaker biographies and further information.

Press release issued by Michael McGlynn, CHI Communications Executive,  who can be contacted at 087 9082970 or 01 8780448. Mary O’Connor is available for further comment at 086 8466861.