Integrating Health and Social Care in Ireland: How to Achieve Implementation Success

“Integrating Health and Social Care in Ireland: How to Achieve Implementation Success”

Thursday, 11 October 2018
IBM Design Studio, Dublin, Ireland

There is widespread agreement on the need in Ireland to bring forward the policy agenda on integrating health and care. A vision, combined with legislation and concrete instruments, are required to move to a more person-centred approach.

Various countries around the world are going on this journey and experiencing their own challenges. Exchanging experiences has been always useful, especially if it leads to the implementation of best practices.

Reflecting on the variables which prevent or foster progress and considering different tactics to realize the expected outcomes of integrated care raises a variety of questions. For instance: are we really aligning around a vision for a more integrated system– or is it merely rhetoric – and is it really necessary to do so? Are the sources of data and information so fragmented that it is impacting on achieving positive outcomes? What should be the role of the citizen/patient in the context of a person-centric model? How can local systems best evidence tangible progress?

The International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC) and IFIC Ireland with the support of IBM Health and Human Services Research Institute brought together 60 senior health and care representatives from over 40 organisations in Ireland who are tasked with design, delivery and support of integrated care services in Ireland to discuss these future challenges and opportunities for integrated health and care in Ireland. The participants were Clinical Leads, GP Leads, Programme Managers, members of the Forum of Postgraduate Training Bodies, 3rd Sector organisations, Patient Representatives, private hospitals, and other key stakeholders. Presentations from Dr Nick Goodwin, CEO of the International Foundation for Integrated Care, Prof Aine Carroll, Co-Director of IFIC Ireland and Prof Catherine Darker from Trinity College Dublin set the scene for the discussions.

The objective of the sessions was to obtain the views of the invited participants on the following three questions:
• What do we do well and why?
• What are the issues and Challenges we face?
• What are the opportunities and actions
• How can IFIC Ireland help?

You can find a full report of the proceedings here. And presentations from the event here.

Following the roundtable discussion, participants came together to further discuss the ambitions of IFIC Ireland and agree a workplan for 2019.

For more information on IFIC Ireland and its ambitions and future activities visit www.integratedcarefoundation.org/ific-ireland

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