2015/16 ANNUALREPORT

32

1.0 Mission and Vision 32.0 About RCPI 43.0 Our Strategic Aims 64.0 Message from the President 74.1 Message from the CEO 95.0 Achievements against aims: 5.1 Deliver World-Class Specialist Training 11 5.2 Enhance Life-Long Learning and Professional Development 17 5.3 Promote Leadership in Patient Care 23 5.4 Be a Trusted, Authoritative Voice on Public Health Policy 31 5.5 Build Our Global Presence 396.0 Faculty Reports: 6.1 Faculty of Occupational Medicine 45 6.2 Faculty of Paediatrics 46 6.3 Faculty of Pathology 47 6.4 Faculty Public Health Medicine 48 6.5 Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 49 6.6 Irish Committee on Higher Medical Training 507.0 Heritage Centre 528.0 Awards and Grants 2015/16 549.0 Governance 56

ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016

Contents

1.0

MISSION AND VISION

Our mission is to train, educate and continuously develop doctors for current and future world health needs.

Our vision is to lead excellence and quality in medical practice through world-class training, education and healthcare improvements in Ireland and internationally.

Royal College of Physicians of Ireland

54 2.0

ABOUT RCPI

While RCPI’s role in society has undergone profound changes since its foundation in 1654, it remains first and foremost a college – dedicated to the education and training of doctors. We are committed to helping doctors enhance their skills, competencies and professionalism throughout their working lives. We also believe that the RCPI should advocate for the health of the nation.

We offer training programmes, examinations, diplomas and educational courses to equip doctors with the skills and knowledge they need to care for patients and run safe and efficient healthcare systems.

Our Faculties and InstitutesSix of Ireland’s 13 postgraduate specialist training bodies are housed within RCPI:

• Faculty of Occupational Medicine

• Faculty of Paediatrics

• Faculty of Pathology

• Faculty of Public Health Medicine

• Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

• The Irish Committee on Higher Medical Training

We also have two joint faculties:

• The Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine of Ireland, which is a joint faculty between RCPI, the College of Anaesthetists of Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

• The Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine, which is a joint faculty between RCPI and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

What matters to usWe value relationships and understand the value of working collaboratively with all stakeholders in the healthcare system.

But we will always remain true to our position as an independent authority on specialist medicine. We are an unflinching advocate for what is right: what is genuinely in the best interests of patients and those who care for patients.

Educational opportunities for healthcare professionalsToday we offer a truly diverse range of courses and events. Our Postgraduate Medical Education Centre continues to develop new and innovative lifelong learning and professional development opportunities for healthcare professionals.

Our postgraduate examinations are internationally recognised benchmarks of excellence and help doctors develop their skills and demonstrate competencies in:

• General Medicine• Paediatrics• Obstetrics and Gynaecology• Public Health Medicine• Occupational Medicine• Medicine of the Elderly• Clinical Psychiatry• Obstetrics and Women’s Health

Making healthcare safer, betterWe quality-assure standards in specialist medical practice. Simply put, we develop policies and procedures to make sure that the delivery of diagnostics and patient care is of the same high quality no matter where you are in Ireland.

We lead 20 ground-breaking National Clinical Programmes in conjunction with the HSE. These programmes are led by senior clinicians and are helping to transform healthcare in Ireland.

Reducing Health HarmWe bring experts and interested parties together to advise government and policy makers and promote awareness of urgent healthcare issues at a national, strategic level through our healthcare policy groups.

We currently have Policy Groups for:

• Alcohol • Tobacco• Obesity• Physical activity• Ageing• Towards 2026: A vision for patients, hospitals and

doctors

2015/2016 Financial StatementsSummarised financial statements for the year ending June 30, 2016 are available on the RCPI website www.rcpi.ie

RCPI is an not-for-profit organisation.

“A commitment to improving patient care lies at the heart of all we do”

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Over the next five years, we will focus on delivering our five strategic aims:

1

Deliver World-Class Specialist Training

2

Enhance Life-Long Learning and Professional Development

3

Promote Leadership in Improving Patient Care

4

Be a Trusted, Authoritative Voice on Public Health Policy

5

Build our Global Presence

3.0

OUR STRATEGIC AIMS 2015–2020

4.0

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

The last year has been another period of change and achievement for RCPI at a time of great challenges. Through its constituent training bodies, RCPI remains at the forefront of providing specialist training for doctors in Ireland and internationally. We continue to innovate to ensure the highest standards in medical training.

A new academic programme has been introduced to ensure that Trainees have access to a blend of on-site teaching and tailored online educational content. This is underpinned by significant investment in new technology.

Of course, personal contact will always remain a high priority. We have opened an RCPI office at Cork University Hospital to support Trainees and Trainers in the Southern Region. We hope to expand this initiative to other parts of the country.

Our annual flagship conference, the St Luke’s Symposium, is a veritable festival of medicine. Highlights from last year’s event included an International Leaders’ Forum, which brought together international figures to discuss issues and ideas around the future of postgraduate medical training and a public meeting which included speakers on diet, exercise and maintaining a positive mental attitude. Last year’s conference was attended by over 1,500 participants.

While we are always looking to the future of medicine, we are conscious of our rich heritage. We hosted a number of events to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of Ireland’s 1916 Easter Rising. These events explored the impact of the Easter Rising on medicine and the medical profession in Ireland.

Our policy and advocacy work now includes ageing and physical activity in addition to alcohol, tobacco and obesity. This further strengthens our voice in shaping government policy. Ireland’s first Obesity Policy and Action Plan was recently launched by the Government and that contained many of the recommendations that were advocated by the RCPI Policy Group on Obesity. We have also established a new forum – Towards 2026: A Vision for Patients, Hospitals and Doctors to describe a vision for the future of hospital-based healthcare.

Extending our international reach has become increasingly important. The International Clinical Fellowship Programme offers structured training to doctors in their chosen specialty or sub-specialty.

A longstanding goal of RCPI is to promote clinical leadership across all levels of the health service. We believe that healthcare reforms are best achieved when clinicians are centrally involved in decision making. To

Prof. Frank Murray

98 4.1

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

4.0

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

support this goal, we continue to develop leadership courses for doctors and others in the health service to ensure they are equipped with the skills to drive change and improvement. We continue to work with the Health Service Executive on a wide range of initiatives designed to empower doctors and other healthcare professionals to innovate and improve the quality and safety of patient care.

The National Clinical Programmes, established jointly by the Health Service Executive’s Clinical Strategy and Programmes Division and the Forum of Irish Postgraduate Medical Training Bodies, are continuing to improve the quality and safety of healthcare across Ireland by setting out pathways, clinical guidelines and models of care. 20 of these national programmes are led by RCPI Fellows and Members, who provide outstanding clinical leadership at a national level.

Responsible stewardship is something we take very seriously. We have initiated a governance review, given the rate of growth in the organisation and the changes in our external environment.

I would like to welcome back our CEO, Leo Kearns, as he resumes his role after a two-year secondment to the Health Service Executive as National Lead for

Transformation and Change. I would also like to thank Dr Len O’Hagan for his significant contribution to RCPI as interim CEO during this period.

Our Trainees, Members, Fellows and staff are the most important resource of this College. I would like to thank all of you who continue to contribute so much to make the College what it is today. We all face considerable challenges, but RCPI will continue to play a constructive role in optimising the health and well-being of our patients and our society.

Prof Frank MurrayRCPI President

Over the past year we have again been fortunate to witness many innovations and achievements across RCPI, its Faculties and the Institute.

Our Strategy 2015-2020 sets out a roadmap for what we want to achieve – to be a leader in excellence and quality in medical practice through world-class specialist training, education and the promotion of improvements in healthcare. This Annual Report provides an update on our progress towards achieving these aims.

A key focus this year has been embracing new technology so we are in a stronger position to support our Trainees, Members and Fellows in their training and professional development. In January of this year, we held the first ever General Medicine membership examination through the format of Computer-Based Testing (CBT). This not only provides a better experience for our MRCPI exam candidates, but allows us to offer our MRCPI examinations to a greater number of doctors internationally. Thanks to the work of the Examination Boards, the Director of Examinations and our exams and technical staff, this was a great success. Since January MRCPI examinations in CBT format have been held in Ireland, Oman, India, Malaysia, Dubai and Saudi Arabia – feedback from exam candidates has been excellent.

In March, the new RCPI website was launched. In design and functionality, it represents a very significant improvement. Trainees, Members and Fellows can now book events, access medical journals and take online courses all from their mobile devices.

In July, The Physician Network was launched to all first year Trainees on Basic Specialist Training Programmes. The Physician Network is a professional social media platform which will allow all Trainees, Members and Fellows to connect, collaborate, access online courses and journals and to share insights with medical professionals around the world. This report demonstrates that we are embracing the challenges facing patients, the medical profession and policy makers, as well as staying true to our heritage as a college which has delivered teaching and training to doctors since 1654. The voice of our Trainees, Members and Fellows is reflected in our decision making and activities. Our continued success depends on their support and contribution.

I would also like to express my gratitude to all those who work in RCPI. Their talent and commitment to the values and purpose of the College is always evident.

Mr Leo KearnsRCPI CEO

Mr Leo Kearns

111010 5.1

DELIVER WORLD-CLASS SPECIALIST TRAINING

Training doctors to meet current and future health needs is at the heart of what we do in RCPI. Through our six training bodies, we are committed to helping doctors reach their full potential. Our training programmes are designed to equip doctors with the skills they need to become clinical leaders who will meet the rapidly evolving needs of society.

Over 1,200 doctors are enrolled on our training programmes in hospitals across Ireland. Our Basic Specialist Training programmes are the first step towards specialisation in medicine, while our Higher Specialist Training programmes, offered in 26 specialties, are designed to produce confident doctors who are leaders in their fields.

We work closely with the Medical Council, which regulates medical practice in Ireland, and the Health

Service Executive (HSE) National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP) to ensure all the components of medical training meet international standards of excellence.

Producing specialists who will meet the evolving needs of societyWe continually evaluate the quality of our training, educational programmes and examinations. Major reviews of our training programmes were completed (Imrie and Keane) to ensure that we are educating and training specialists who will meet the needs of society in the coming decade. The Basic Specialist Training programme in General Internal Medicine has been greatly enhanced as a result: during their 24 months of training, Trainees now spend a minimum of six months outside a metropolitan area so that they are exposed to a variety of healthcare environments.

“ Optimising training is the most important role of RCPI. Our aim is to continue the longstanding tradition of RCPI in providing outstanding, state-of-the-art training in Irish medicine.”Prof Anthony O’Regan, RCPI, Dean of Postgraduate Specialist Training

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609

Doctors on our Basic Specialist Training programmes

Doctors on our HIGHER Specialist Training programmes

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Training more doctors than everBoth the number of applicants and the number of doctors who have secured a place on our training programmes have increased in the past two years. This reflects the increasing attractiveness of our training programmes. We aim to meet workforce planning projections provided by HSE National Doctors Training and Planning.

• Applicants to Basic Specialist Training programmes increased by 10% since 2014

• Doctors accepted into Basic Specialist Training programmes increased by 7% since 2014

• Applicants to Higher Specialist Training programmes increased by 7% since 2014

• Doctors accepted into Higher Specialist Training programmes increased by 55% since 2013

What constitutes a good doctor? New research programme underway Doctors Clinical Training Outcomes Research Study (DoCTORS) is a new research programme, led by RCPI, focused on postgraduate medical education and healthcare workers. It will examine what constitutes a ‘good doctor’ and whether training and career progression pathways lead to successful outcomes for Trainees, Trainers and society.

Innovative educational programmesJuly 2016 saw the launch of the ambitious core academic programme for Trainees in Basic Specialist Training in General Internal Medicine. Specifically designed for Senior House Officers in General Internal Medicine, the core academic programme will expand on what Trainees have learned at intern level and translate this into the day-to-day care of patients.

The programme provides a structured schedule for on-site teaching and gives Trainees exclusive access to additional expert teaching that they might not otherwise be exposed to on their rotation.

The programme consists of three elements:• Regular tutorials delivered on site by local Trainers• Online video tutorials posted on The Physician

Network – our professional, social network for doctors for learning and collaboration

• Expert interviews with National Specialty Directors, National Clinical Programme leads and other leading clinicians

This year we also launched a Minimal Access Skills course for Trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, which focuses on the development of essential skills in laparoscopic surgery.

We now offer fellowships that allow qualified specialists to gain further sub-specialty experience that is not readily available on Higher Specialist Training programmes in Ireland. These fellowships can help doctors acquire the additional experience they need to obtain consultancy posts with a special interest.

5.1

DELIVER WORLD-CLASS SPECIALIST TRAINING

1,241Doctors on Basic Specialist Training Programmes and Higher Specialist Training Programmes in Ireland

“ With research programmes such as DoCTORS, the National Study on Physician Wellbeing and a study which evaluates training posts, RCPI is playing a leading role in underpinning actions with evidence.”

Prof Richard Costello, RCPI Director of Research

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Ensuring high standards for onsite trainingBuilding on the long-standing activity of hospital inspections, we are now developing a formal accreditation process for training sites. This will see the introduction of standards for training sites. These general RCPI standards are now being piloted in St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin. All training sites are subject to inspection to ensure high standards in training are maintained.

We conducted an anonymous survey of all Trainees during the year, which allowed them to submit an objective evaluation of the rotations they had completed over the previous 12 months. The data will be used to inform future site inspections and the allocation of Trainees to specific sites.

Feedback and Engagement with our Trainees and TrainersWe opened an RCPI Office in Cork University Hospital to support our Trainees and Trainers in the Southern Region. This is a pilot programme, which we plan to roll out to other areas in the country.

Based on feedback, we are working to make our training programmes more flexible and more predictable. We have introduced job sharing and our Trainees are now informed of their rotations for the first two years of their programme, where possible.

Supporting and Mentoring our TraineesRecognising that Trainees need support and guidance during the challenging early years, a mentoring

programme has been developed. Mentors are being recruited and the programme will be rolled out to Trainees in Basic Specialist Training in the coming months.

Supporting our TrainersWe are very conscious of difficult circumstances that many of our Trainers and National Specialty Directors encounter on a daily basis. We offer Physicians as Trainers courses to support Trainers in developing the skills required to supervise and support our Trainees. Over 1,000 doctors have been approved as Trainers. Doctors can apply to become Trainers, once they are on the Specialist Register of the Medical Council in their specialty and are working in approved training sites in their specialty.

A Better Experience for Exam CandidatesThis year we replaced paper-based examinations with Computer-Based Tests (CBT) for MRCPI General Medicine Part I and Part II Written and MRCPI Medicine of Childhood Part I. CBT results in a better experience for doctors taking our examinations and reduces waiting times for results. The efficiencies delivered means that we can offer more places to doctors who want to sit MRCPI examinations. So far, candidates have taken examinations in the CBT format in Dublin, Oman, India, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. We will deliver Part II Written of the MRCPI in Obstetrics and Gynaecology by CBT in March 2017.

We have also developed a guide to the MRCPI in General Medicine examination for candidates. It explains the structure, process, marking system and topics covered in the exam, and provides helpful study tips. Over the coming year, we will develop a similar guide for the MRCPI examinations in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Paediatrics.

Trainee Committee – The Voice of Trainees in RCPIThe Trainee Committee represents Trainees’ interests and works towards improving training. It has representatives throughout RCPI, including on Council. Dr James Mahon took over as Chair of the Committee from Dr Jane O’Halloran in July 2016. The Committee has been involved in developing The Physician Network, our professional social media platform for doctors, as well as organising a Trainee Day during the St Luke’s Symposium, which includes awards to recognise the achievements of our Trainees.

“ We aim to have a standard set of guidelines for training conditions and clinical support at each training site to ensure the well-being and guidance of our Trainees, and ultimately to improve patient care.”

Dr Kathleen McGarry, Associate Director of Training Site Accreditation

“ This year has seen a paradigm shift in our examinations with the introduction of Computer-Based Testing.”

Dr Mary Holohan, RCPI Director of Examinations

82Training sites

in Ireland

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DELIVER WORLD-CLASS SPECIALIST TRAINING

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• A Medico Legal Must Knows course, developed in conjunction with the Clinical Indemnity Scheme (CIS), providing practical, detailed guidance on how to avoid the common pitfalls leading to legal action against doctors

• A Basic Colposcopy course • A Clinical Update on Nutrition incorporating topics

from nutrition in athletes to nutrition in the elderly • A Certificate in Road Safety, Mobility and Health,

developed in partnership with the National Programme Office for Traffic Medicine to help participants understand the interactions of health and human factors in transport and driving

• Seven online Obstetrics and Gynaecology Practical Scenario modules

5.2

ENHANCE LIFE-LONG LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Throughout their professional lives, doctors constantly update their knowledge and understanding of their chosen specialty to ensure the delivery of world- class care.

We offer a diverse range of educational opportunities and we are continuing to develop new and innovative lifelong learning and professional development opportunities for healthcare professionals.

New Professional Development Opportunities for Healthcare Professionals New courses launched in the last year include:• Sepsis Management for Non Consultant Hospital

Doctors 1,500People attended St Luke’s Symposium 2015

>800Hours of educational content delivered

“ The continuing education of Trainees, Members and Fellows is a fundamental priority for RCPI. We endeavour to develop educational events and courses, that are both practical and theoretical, to encourage life-long learning and broaden the educational horizon for all.”Dr Sinead Murphy, RCPI Director of Education

1918 5.2

ENHANCE LIFE-LONG LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The annual St Luke’s Symposium is one of the highlights of the calendar. Featuring a rich blend of scientific, training, heritage, social and celebratory events over four days, the Symposium gives delegates the chance to network with over 1,500 peers in our Kildare Street headquarters.

As part of the 2015 St Luke’s Symposium, we held an International Leaders’ Forum, bringing together key international figures to discuss issues and ideas around the future of postgraduate medical training.

New Leadership CoursesWe will soon launch two new leadership courses. The Certificate in Essential Leadership for New Consultants will help new consultants understand and manage the wide range of responsibilities that come with the role and provides guidance on quality and patient safety managing teams and budgets, and training the next generation of clinical leaders. The Certificate in Transformative Leadership in Healthcare places an emphasis on current, emerging and future needs of senior clinician leaders in the Irish healthcare system.

CPD Support Scheme for Non Consultant Hospital DoctorsWe offer a Continuing Professional Development Support Scheme for Non Consultant Hospital Doctors who are not on a training programme. This Scheme, which is supported by the Health Service Executive, helps doctors fulfil their professional competence obligations by giving them free access to courses in the areas of quality improvement, leadership, patient safety, and communication skills.

Physician Health and WellbeingCaring for the caregivers is very important to us. As well as delivering a number of Physician Wellbeing courses, we ran a Compassion Through Meditation programme in Temple Street Children’s Hospital and in RCPI in Dublin.

We are proud to be involved in the National Study of Wellbeing of Hospital Doctors in Ireland led by Dr Blánaid Hayes. This important study looks at the well-being of hospital doctors in Ireland with a view to informing future

interventions. The first phase, which was a consensus study of 30 consultants and 19 Trainees to identify the current main stressors for hospital doctors, was published in December 2015 in the BMJ Open.

Dr Barry White, RCPI Director of Quality and Clinical Care, is leading a study to access the impact of meditation training on the psychological well-being of participants.

170Courses delivered to

7,500Participants

“ The study confirms that Irish hospital doctors are currently working in a very challenging environment and we know that there are proven links between a negative psychosocial work environment and mental ill health. Any effort to improve the quality of patient care must take account of the work environment for all healthcare workers and not just doctors.”

Dr Blánaid Hayes, Principal Investigator, National Study of Wellbeing of Hospital Doctors in Ireland and incoming Dean of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine

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ENHANCE LIFE-LONG LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Helping doctors fulfil Professional CompetenceWe administer 11 Professional Competence Schemes on behalf of the Medical Council. Professional Competence is a formal way of recording life-long learning and highlighting a doctor’s dedication to developing skills and competencies throughout their medical career. In Ireland, all doctors registered with the Medical Council must fulfil professional competence requirements.

Our schemes have been deemed substantively equivalent to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program. This means RCPSC Fellows practising in Ireland can use our Professional Competence Schemes to maintain their membership and fellowship of the RCPSC without having to additionally participate in the Canadian MOC Program.

The Physician Network enhances learning and collaboration Working with our international partners, Tata Consulting Services, a state-of-the art digital platform was launched in response to the needs of our Trainees, Members and Fellows.

A key part of this platform is The Physician Network, a major innovation to enable doctors to connect and

collaborate with each other and access high-quality educational content. It is a private, secure professional social network that also serves as a virtual learning environment, where doctors can take online courses to enhance their learning.

The first online communities on The Physician Network were launched in July 2016 for Trainees in Basic Specialist Training. These communities allow us to share important information and engage with Trainees about their training programmes and allow Trainees to share useful resources with one another.

Over the next year, we will be working with doctors to establish common-interest communities based on a wide variety of medical topics and specialties. It is envisaged that doctors will soon be able to set up their own communities to network, learn and collaborate.

Other Digital Developments in 2016We launched a new mobile responsive website featuring a faster login process, more powerful search functionality, and an easier booking process for courses and events. When Trainees, Members and Fellows log in to the website, they can now easily access other digital services, including medical journals.

Becoming a Fellow gives you access to a range of benefits typically worth €1,200 per annum.

• BMJ Journals (a collection of 22 journals) including Gut, Heart, Evidence-based Medicine, Medical Ethics, Quality and Safety

• www.BMJ.com (The BMJ Journal)• New England Journal of Medicine Online

(NEJM)• The Lancet Journal Online• BMJ Learning• Professional Competence Scheme

Fee Discount • 10% discount on Diplomas and Certificates • Free attendance for any of our

Masterclass Series• Free attendance at St Luke’s Symposium

“ RCPI’s Trainees, Members and Fellows are our greatest asset. Supporting them in their professional training and development is our core purpose. As it evolves, The Physician Network will allow them to connect, collaborate and to share insight with medical professionals around the world.”Dr Diarmuid O’Shea, RCPI Registrar

Prof Hilary Hoey, Director of Professional Competence

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PROMOTE LEADERSHIP IN PATIENT CARE

RCPI is committed to developing solutions that lead to safer, higher quality and more cost effective healthcare.

We continue to work with the Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland on a wide range of initiatives designed to empower doctors and other healthcare workers to innovate and improve the quality and safety of patient care. Healthcare workers know only too well the challenges that arise in a busy hospital and are often the first to identify, and support, practical solutions for making it safer and more efficient.

Improving patient safety through the National Quality Improvement ProgrammeThe National Quality Improvement (QI) Programme gives healthcare professionals the tools and training they need to improve patient care across Ireland. Training and education is generally provided to multidisciplinary teams. Launched in 2012, the programme is jointly led by RCPI and the HSE.

To date, the National QI Programme is responsible for training over 1,000 healthcare professionals in quality improvement skills.

More than 62 people participated in the Diploma in Leadership and Quality in Healthcare last year,

completing projects on improving patient access, reducing waste and saving costs. The Diploma is in its sixth year of delivery and it continues to be in extremely high demand.

1,000healthcare professionals trained in quality improvement skills through the National Quality Improvement Programme

“ The National Quality Improvement Programmes provide a patient-centred Quality Improvement framework which allows for improved patient safety, reduced risk and enhanced patient care. The standardised quality assurance system raises standards nationally and provides the mechanism to assure the public and policy makers of the standard of diagnostic practice in Ireland.”

Prof Conor O’Keane, RCPI Treasurer

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€1.65 million to help drive improvements in quality and patient safetyThe Research Collaborative in Quality and Patient Safety (RCQPS) is a unique collaboration between the Health Research Board, the Quality Improvement Division of the Health Service Executive and RCPI.

Established in 2013, the collaborative identifies the most pressing issues affecting healthcare quality and patient safety in Ireland and allocates funding for research into these issues, knowing they can help drive improvements in quality and patient safety throughout the entire health system.

To date, €1.65 million has been awarded for projects. One example of a project which received funding is E-PIC: Epilepsy Partnership in Care study, an ethnographic and participant action research analysis of living with epilepsy in Ireland, led by Ms. Mary Fitzsimons and Dr Colin Doherty.

Improving accuracy in diagnosis through National Quality Improvement ProgrammesWe manage National Quality Improvement Programmes in three diagnostic services: • Histopathology• Radiology• Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

These services play a crucial role in improving diagnosis and reducing diagnostic error. The Programmes provide a patient centred Quality Improvement framework within each diagnostic department, which facilitates their routine review of performance and drives improvement, in key quality areas against the national performance and intelligent targets.

The programmes were established to safeguard patients and ensure these diagnostic services meet the highest international standards. While still in varying stages of development, these programmes offer the prospect of enhanced visibility of the standards of diagnostics in Ireland.

Histopathology

Led by the Faculty of Pathology, the Histopathology National Quality Improvement Programme gives patients greater confidence in the diagnosis of illnesses in every hospital in the country. It aims to enhance patient care and safety with timely, accurate and complete pathology diagnoses and reports.

The programme continues to make progress on applying the data collected by 32 public and private laboratories to inform the daily practices of participating hospitals. Three rounds of targets and three annual national data reports have been published to date.

Radiology

Led by the Faculty of Radiologists, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), the Radiology National Quality Improvement Programme aims to minimise diagnostic errors in radiology and by doing so, improving patient care and safety. The programme has rolled out a new ICT system, PeerVue, to collect relevant data in 40 of 50 public hospitals.

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PROMOTE LEADERSHIP IN PATIENT CARE

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Jointly led by RCPI and RCSI, the Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Programme aims to strengthen patient safety efforts in local hospitals and enhance patient care with accurate and complete endoscopy diagnoses and reports. The push to collect data from 37 public hospitals and 15 private hospitals gathered momentum over the past year, with 28 public and six private sites now covered.

€1.65mawarded for projects in Quality and Patient Safety in Ireland

National Quality Improvement Programmes:

62people participated in the Diploma in Leadership and Quality

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“ The National Acute Medicine Programme was set up with the HSE and RCPI in 2010. We developed a model of care for medical patients presenting with acute and emergency problems. That includes 50 per cent of all patients attending acute hospitals. We are trying to make it easier for patients to get into hospital and easier to get out and back to the care of the GP, so we have included GPs in our model of care.

We want to improve the quality of care and we want to reduce the length of stay in hospital. We want to reduce the avoidable harm and risk to them in hospital. All of that should be delivered with greater efficiency and less cost to the Exchequer. We have reduced the length of stay of all medical patients in the State by 1.6 days which is equivalent to 1,000 beds.”

Leading on healthcare system design and innovation – National Clinical Programmes Ireland’s National Clinical Care Programmes are improving the quality and safety of healthcare across Ireland by developing clinical guidelines, care pathways and models of care.

The programmes are led by clinicians and use a multi-disciplinary approach. They were established jointly by the Forum of Irish Postgraduate Training Bodies with the Health Service Executive’s Clinical Programmes and Strategies Division. The first programmes began in 2007 and there are now over 30 in place.

RCPI-led National Clinical Programmes:

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PROMOTE LEADERSHIP IN PATIENT CARE

Prof Garry Courtney, Co- Lead, National Clinical Programme for Acute Medicine.

• Acute Coronary Syndrome Clinical Lead: Prof Kieran Daly

• Acute Medicine Clinical Leads: Prof Garry Courtney and Dr Yvonne Smyth

• Asthma Clinical Lead: Prof Pat Manning

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Clinical Lead: Prof Tim McDonnell

• Cystic Fibrosis Clinical Lead: Prof Charles Gallagher

• Dermatology Clinical Lead: Dr Anne Marie Tobin

• Diabetes Clinical Lead: Prof Sean Dinneen

• Epilepsy Clinical Lead: Dr Colin Doherty

• Heart Failure Clinical Lead: Prof Ken Mc Donald

• Neurology Clinical Lead: Prof Tim Lynch

• Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinical Lead: Prof Michael Turner

• Older People Clinical Lead: Dr Diarmuid O’Shea

• Palliative Care Clinical Lead: Dr Karen Ryan

• Pathology Clinical Lead: Prof Gerard Boran

• Paediatrics and Neonatology Clinical Leads: Prof Alf Nicholson and Prof John Murphy

• Rare Diseases Clinical Lead: Prof Eileen Treacy

• Renal Programme Clinical Lead: Dr Liam Plant

• Rehabilitation Medicine Clinical Lead: Dr Jacinta Morgan

• Rheumatology Clinical Lead: Prof David Kane

• Stroke Clinical Lead: Prof Joe Harbison

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The clinical programmes underpin a move towards increased integration of health and social services across the continuum of care spanning home, community and hospital. Where appropriate there will be a shift of services currently provided by acute hospitals to the community with an emphasis on seamless co-ordination between services to improve patient outcomes and experience. Integrated care will be particularly focused in the areas of older people, children, chronic disease prevention and management, maternity services and patient flow.

National Clinical Programmes have made an enormous contribution to improving patient care. Examples of these achievements and improvements include:

• Paediatrics and Neonatology: The National Model of Care for Paediatric and Neonatal Healthcare Services in Ireland, which outlines the clinical and organisational framework across 33 subspecialties for how and where paediatric healthcare services should be delivered, managed and organised, was approved by the Faculty of Paediatrics and the HSE in 2016. This is integral to the planned new children’s hospital and all paediatric units nationally. The Paediatric Early Warning System (PEWS) has been implemented nationally, contributing to the early recognition of serious illness in infants and children.

• Stroke Services: Inpatient mortality has been reduced by more than one quarter and there has been an increase of more than one third in patients discharged home rather than directly to a nursing home. The national thrombolysis rate has increased more than tenfold.

• Acute Coronary Syndrome: The National Acute Coronary Syndrome Protocol for major heart attack care is now in place with rapid transfer of patients

to Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention centres. The rate of Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention has increased from 55 per cent in 2010 to 92 per cent currently with a resultant decrease in the thrombolysis rate falling to per cent. Major heart attack cases in Donegal, which are outside timelines for the national protocol, are being transferred to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.

• Rheumatology: Over 20,000 patients were removed from orthopaedic and rheumatology waiting lists in 2015 as a result of the Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Initiative operated collaboratively by the National Clinical Programme for Rheumatology and National Clinical Programme for Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery.

• Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Seven new clinical practice guidelines were published. The inaugural Irish Maternity Indicator System (IMIS) report for 2015 was published. This includes data for 30 maternity indicators for each of the 19 publicly funded maternity hospitals/units. A supplementary report on Consultant Workforce Planning was published, which has been cited in the National Maternity Strategy.

20,304patients removed from waiting lists in 2015 by the Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Initiative

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Our Trainees, Members and Fellows represent the experiences and expertise of doctors training and practising worldwide. We have a record of leadership in the area of public health policy, not least because of the longstanding role of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine.

We aim to be the trusted and authoritative voice to influence the healthcare debate. RCPI continues to play a leading role in shaping the public health debates and policies relating to alcohol, obesity and tobacco. This has expanded to include ageing and physical activity. A new working group, Towards 2026, has been established to create a vision for the development of hospital services over the next decade.

We have further enhanced engagement with Government, the Oireachtas and other important stakeholders. A Policy Showcase, attended by then Minister for Health Leo Varadkar, brought together experts and members of other organisations who work with us in health advocacy. We also briefed Oireachtas members about the policy initiatives underway at RCPI with a view to informing political party health manifestos and to ultimately contribute to the Programme for Government.

Shaping Ireland’s Obesity StrategyThe first Obesity Policy and Action Plan launched by the Government in September 2016 contained many of the high-level recommendations that were advocated by the RCPI Policy Group on Obesity, co-chaired by Prof Donal O’Shea and Prof Catherine Hayes. It published An expert report on how to clinically manage and treat obesity in Ireland in October 2015. The Group developed the report and refined it following consultation with stakeholders engaged in the clinical management of obesity from both the public and private sectors.

5.4

BE A TRUSTED, AUTHORITATIVE VOICE ON PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY

RTE News – Prof Donal O’Shea at the National Obesity Policy and Action Plan

Launch of the Public Health (Alcohol) BillLeft to right: Dr Tony Holohan, Prof Frank Murray and Minister Varadkar

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This report was issued to the Department of Health and informed the National Obesity Policy and Action Plan-A Healthy Weight for Ireland, published in September 2016.

The National Obesity Policy also incorporates a number of public policy measures which the RCPI Policy Group on Obesity has advocated for in its 2014 Policy Statement The Race we don’t want to win. This is a huge achievement for the Policy Group on Obesity and for the College which is making its voice heard in a very powerful way through its Policy Group.

During the year, group members continued to raise public awareness of obesity by participating in media events and commentary, as well as in briefings and conferences. These members have become trusted voices in the national debate on obesity and are regularly invited to represent their views in the media where the discourse now reflects the points they are arguing.

The Group was successful in encouraging the main political parties to include a sugar tax on sweetened drinks in their manifestos ahead of the 2016 General Election.

The Policy Group also made submissions to a number of public consultations over the year:

• Submission to public consultation on Development of a National Cancer Strategy for 2016-2025

• Submission to draft Wicklow County Development Plan 2016-2022 on a ‘No Fry Zone’ around schools

• Submission to National Council for Curriculum and Assessment on Draft Guidelines for Wellbeing in the Junior Cycle

Advocated for Measures to Reduce Smoking HarmThe RCPI Policy Group on Tobacco continued to advocate measures to reduce smoking harm. The Group made a pre-budget submission in September 2015 seeking

fiscal measures aimed at reducing smoking prevalence, including an increase in excise duty and reduction of VAT on nicotine replacement therapy.

Continued to win support for the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill The RCPI Policy Group on Alcohol, chaired by President Prof Frank Murray, has been very active in raising public awareness about the harm to health associated with alcohol misuse and winning support for the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill.

This important piece of legislation can save lives, reduce harm and ease the unsustainable pressure on our health services. The Bill is underpinned by many evidence-based measures recommended by the Policy Group.

The Government has stated that the Bill remains a priority and it is listed to continue its journey through the Houses of the Oireachtas later this year. Prof Murray, Prof Aiden McCormick and Dr Stephen Stewart – all members of the RCPI Policy Group on Alcohol – appeared before the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children in relation to the Bill.

To develop further support for the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, RCPI joined with Alcohol Action Ireland in 2015 to establish Alcohol Health Alliance Ireland, which is chaired by Prof Murray. The Alliance brings together over 50 members and organisations to lobby for the enactment of the Bill.

5.4

BE A TRUSTED, AUTHORITATIVE VOICE ON PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY

“ By becoming involved in the Alcohol Policy Group, I have had the opportunity to contribute to public health recommendations to Government and have my voice heard in ways that would not have been possible as an individual”Dr Stephen Stewart, Consultant Gastroenterologist, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital.Prof Sean Gaine, co-Chair, Policy Group on Physical Activity

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Expanding our Healthcare Policy AgendaA new Policy Group on Physical Activity, chaired by Dr Peter Wright and Prof Seán Gaine, was established in 2015 and has begun the process of developing consensus on recommendations to be published in a policy statement later this year. This will include recommendations for the profession in relation to understanding and advising on the benefits of physical activity for patients; recommendations for national policy; and a clear message to the public on the positive effects of physical activity on physical, mental and social well-being. To inform its work, the Policy Group plans to conduct a survey of RCPI members to determine their level of knowledge and attitudes towards physical activity. The Policy Group is working closely with the Health and Wellbeing Programme in the Department of Health to support the National Physical Activity Plan, launched in January 2016.

A new Policy Group on Ageing, chaired by Prof Desmond O’Neill, was convened in January 2016. Since its establishment, the Group has met twice and has already developed a paper on long-term care as part of a forum hosted by Support and Advocacy for Older People (SAGE).

The group is also engaged in age-attuning of RCPI policy statements and is providing inputs to the work of the

Policy Group on Physical Activity as it relates to exercise for older people. An advisory forum meeting is planned in October 2016, where a number of organisations will be invited to partake in a discussion on the National Positive Ageing Strategy.

Set out a Vision for Future Hospital ServicesIn 2016, RCPI established Towards 2026 (T2026): A Vision for patients, hospitals and doctors, a Policy Forum to deliver a collective vision for the future of hospital care in Ireland and to examine the role of the doctor in a more responsive and dynamic healthcare system.

Dr Tom Keane, the former National Director of the Cancer Control Programme, chairs the Policy Forum. Members represent a range of medical and non-medical disciplines, professional and academic bodies and healthcare organisations. Our ageing population and the increasing numbers of people with chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease threaten the long-term sustainability of the health system. Therefore, it is incumbent on all stakeholders within the healthcare system to address these challenges as a matter of urgency.

The Towards 2026 Forum has been examining how to deliver patient-centred care based on the available evidence on population and disease projections. It is hoped that the process will generate debate within the professions and inform wider political and public discourse on the future of our healthcare system.

A meeting was held with a group of patients and carers in May 2016 to initiate the process and to provide inputs to guide the work of the Forum. This was followed by a series of three workshops, each involving approximately

“ The rate at which new knowledge is changing how we diagnose and treat patients is faster than at any time in history. Over the next decade the influence of genomics, digital technology, robotics, and artificial intelligence will dramatically transform the practice of medicine. In order for the Irish healthcare system to benefit we must be prepared to embrace change and ensure that the infrastructure and human resources required are in place. Towards 2026 will contribute to a vision for patients, doctors and hospitals by 2026. Embracing and implementing the anticipated level of change will not only require new knowledge and skills but also require physician leadership in driving and managing change. The scope and scale of change will be daunting but standing still is not an option.”

The case for action is articulated by Dr Tom Keane, Chair of the Policy Forum

5.4

BE A TRUSTED, AUTHORITATIVE VOICE ON PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY

Front row l-r Dr Peter Wright, co-Chair Policy Group on Physical Activity; Prof Desmond O’Neill, Director, National Programme for Traffic Medicine; Leo Varadkar T.D., Minister for Health; Dr Catherine Hayes, co-Chair Policy Group on Obesity; back row l-r Dr Patrick Doorley, former Chair, Policy Group on Tobacco; Prof Frank Murray, RCPI President; Prof Donal O’Shea, co-Chair, Policy Group on Obesity.

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50 people comprising RCPI Members and Fellows from a range of medical disciplines, GPs, Allied Health Professionals, Trainees, academics, Department of Health and HSE managers and private sector representatives.

These workshops examined the needs of patients in 2026, the provision of acute medical services to meet

those needs and the role of the doctor and other healthcare professionals to deliver those services.

The Towards 2026 final report and recommendations will be published in late 2016 and will be submitted to the Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Healthcare.

5.4

BE A TRUSTED, AUTHORITATIVE VOICE ON PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY

Dr Siobhán Kennelly, Thematic Lead: Patients at the T2026 Patient Forum Dr Tom Keane, Chair T2026, Prof Frank Murray, RCPI President and Prof Garry Courtney, Thematic Lead: Hospitals

393838 5.5

BUILD OUR GLOBAL PRESENCE

With Members and Fellows working in over 80 countries worldwide, RCPI and its Faculties and Institute have strong relationships with sister Colleges in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and Hong Kong. Achieving the highest standards requires RCPI to participate and show leadership in the international provision of education, training and global health strategies. Strong relationships are developing at governmental and institutional level in Malaysia, India, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. We have an international network of nearly 10,500 doctors: more than 50 per cent of our Licentiates, Members and Fellows currently practice outside of Ireland.

Our Chapters in India, Oman, China (Hong Kong) and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai) promote and foster relationships between RCPI and its Trainees, Members and Fellows worldwide. Chapters also provide an infrastructure for collaboration with medical and government organisations in other countries, and provide expertise and knowledge to RCPI in the development and delivery of activities, such as examinations, education and training, at a local level.

We aim to build on our existing services and collaborations with international partners to develop

new opportunities, focusing initially on postgraduate specialist training and examinations.

International Medical Graduate Training Initiative The International Medical Graduate Training initiative provides a route for sponsored overseas doctors to experience structured postgraduate medical training in the Irish public health service. It enables suitably qualified overseas postgraduate medical trainees to undertake a fixed period of active training in clinical services in Ireland. It allows Trainees to access clinical experiences and training that they cannot get in their own country. Through these training programmes, we enhance their medical training and learning and, in the medium to long term, the health services in their own country.

These doctors also add tremendous value and international perspective to our training programmes and will enable us to enhance these programmes as a result.

10,500Trainees, Members, Fellows and Licentiates in 84 countries.

“ While Training in an Irish hospital, I learned a lot about patient-centred care and communication with patients and GPs.”Dr Abrar Al Waheed – International Clinical Fellow (Haematology) from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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The International Clinical Fellowship Programme (ICFP) offers structured curriculum-based specialist training at a senior level to doctors who wish to pursue higher training in their chosen specialty or sub-specialty. International Clinical Fellowships are now available in our 25 specialty areas, including Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Respiratory, Rheumatology, Medical Oncology, Paediatric Subspecialties, Pathology, Occupational Medicine, Public Health Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

A high-level Memorandum of Understanding to develop a Joint Residency Training Programme has been signed between RCPI and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. It is proposed that this programme will be delivered partly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and partly in Ireland. Participants take both the Saudi Board examinations and the MRCPI examinations and the programme will be recognised by both the Saudi Commission and RCPI.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP), in conjunction with the HSE and the Forum of Irish Postgraduate Medical Training Bodies, has developed a Postgraduate Scholarship Programme in Ireland for doctors from Pakistan. This allows doctors who are enrolled with the College of Physicians and

Surgeons in Pakistan to complete two years of their training in Ireland. 71 doctors are enrolled currently on this programme.

Improving training and health worldwideRCPI’s Faculty of Occupational Medicine is currently developing a programme to prepare the Etihad Airways Medical Centre to become an accredited training centre of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, RCPI.

The collaboration will enable the airline to enhance its medical and broader well-being services while also marking a significant step in its aim to be the global leader in aviation medicine.

Donating medical equipment to developing countries under the EQUALS Initiative.The EQUALS Initiative is a joint venture between RCPI and the HSE which organises the donation of decommissioned medical equipment from Irish hospitals to hospitals in less developed countries. It also is involved in the provision of associated training to promote the

quality of services in the hospitals in receipt of the denoted equipment.

This year the EQUALS Initiative has dispatched equipment for a maternity hospital in Uganda. The initiative has also continued to strengthen its collaboration with Zambia’s Ministry of Health and welcomed representatives of the Zambian Working Group on Medical Training to the College. Plans for further bilateral trips are ongoing.

The initiative is funded entirely by donations, with administrative support provided by RCPI’s International Affairs office. If you are interesting in getting involved, please email taimsetracey@rcpi.ie

5.5

BUILD OUR GLOBAL PRESENCE

Prof Mary Horgan,RCPI Director of Development

“ International engagement and presence is crucial to RCPI’s ongoing commitment to its long history of providing the highest standards of education and training.International Clinical Fellows from Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain,

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emiratis at their Induction Day in July 2016 in RCPI with staff from RCPI and Castel Education.

Prof Colm Bergin, RCPI Vice President; Dr Declan Whelan, Dean of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine RCPI; Dr Nadia Bastaki, Vice President Medical Services, Etihad Airways and H.E. Dr Saeed Mohammad Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Ireland.

1 Ireland2 England3 Malaysia 4 Saudi Arabia5 USA

6 Northern Ireland7 India8 Pakistan9 Canada10 United Arab Emirates

11 Australia12 Oman13 Hong Kong 14 Scotland15 Wales

16 Singapore17 Kuwait18 Bahrain19 Bangladesh20 New Zealand

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TWITTER

FACEBOOK

LiNKEDIN

YOU tube

5.5.1

BUILD OUR GLOBAL PRESENCEA Truly Global Organisation

5.5.2

BUILD OUR GLOBAL PRESENCESocial Media

>5,400followers on Twitter

>3,800followers on FACEBOOK

>1,300followers on LinkedIN

1,778views between Jul 2015 and June 2016

14,671views of all our videos in total

>7,400Tweets

2,971people saw our most popular post of 2015/2016 on Facebook

Our Trainees, Members and Fellows are based in 84 countries. Top twenty locations where our Trainees, Member and Fellows are based:

6 DOCTORSCurrently on the Faculty of Occupational Medicine’s Higher Specialist Training Programme in Ireland

454444 6.1Faculty Report

As the national professional and training body for Occupational Medicine in Ireland, the Faculty continues to strive for the highest standards possible in health at work.

The Faculty, accredited by the Medical Council of Ireland, is proud to meet the strict standards required to deliver postgraduate specialist training in Occupational Medicine. It offers a four-year Higher Specialist Training Programme for doctors who wish to specialise in Occupational Medicine.

As the economy continues to improve, there has been a commensurate increase in the workforce. In turn, there is an ever more urgent need to advise organisations (governmental and business) on how to best optimise the health of their most important asset, their employees.

Aside from implementing ongoing initiatives, last year’s highlights included: • Faculty representatives travelled to the International

Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) conference in Seoul to facilitate the planning and promotion for ICOH Dublin 2018. This conference represents a significant coup for RCPI. ICOH is the oldest scientific association in its field, with more than 2,000 members in 93 countries.

• In February, the Faculty hosted a meeting of a delegation of ICOH officers to discuss progress in the organisation of the Dublin 2018 congress.

• The Faculty signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in April to provide the airline with educational, training, research and operational excellence opportunities in the field of Occupational Medicine.

• The Faculty provided a course in Occupational Medicine in February in Dubai Healthcare Centre, United Arab Emirates ( UAE). This course incorporated preparation for the Faculty examinations. The course was convened by the Regional Faculty Advisor in the UAE, Dr Mark Newson-Smith, in conjunction with other Fellows of the Faculty who work in the region.

• Dr Blánaid Hayes was elected Dean-Elect of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine. Dr Hayes will commence her two-year term of office as Dean in November 2016.

Dr Declan WhelanDean of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine

4746 6.2Faculty Report

The Faculty is the body responsible for providing postgraduate medical training to doctors to become the future Consultant Paediatricians of Ireland, by implementing the specialist training programme in Paediatrics developed by the Faculty and RCPI.

The Faculty is accredited by the Medical Council of Ireland and is proud to meet the strict standards required to deliver postgraduate specialist training in Paediatrics.

The Faculty offers a two-year Basic Specialist Training (BST) Programme in Paediatrics. It offers Higher Specialist Training (HST) in General Paediatrics – a five-year programme. When combined, BST and HST in Paediatrics cover all aspects of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions affecting infants, children, and adolescents, from birth to age 18 years.

On completion of the HST programme, graduates have the appropriate expertise to be appointed as Consultant Paediatricians, and to manage, without supervision, all aspects of health and disease in children whilst working very closely with the patient, their family and other colleagues.

This year’s highlights include: • The submission of a manifesto to all political parties

in July 2015 entitled The Health and Wellbeing of Ireland’s Children and Adolescents, outlining the priority areas of child health and disease that the Faculty recommended should be addressed in future service developments.

• The Faculty successfully bid to host the European Paediatric Association (EPA/UNEPSA) Europaediatrics Conference in 2019 in Dublin.

• The Faculty made a number of representations to An Bord Pleanala, the planning authority, on the National Paediatric Hospital (NPH). The Faculty continues to have representatives on the NPH Development Board charged with overseeing the development and building of the long-awaited, new national children’s hospital. The contract for the first phase of construction was awarded. The site is adjacent to St James’s Hospital in Dublin.

6.3Faculty Report

The Faculty is the national professional and training body for Pathology in Ireland, and works to ensure the highest standards in laboratory medicine.

The Faculty is accredited by the Medical Council of Ireland and is proud to meet the strict standards required to deliver postgraduate specialist training in five Pathology specialties.

The Faculty offers a two-year Basic Specialist Training Programme (BST) in Histopathology, which is the first step to becoming a histopathologist in Ireland. It offers five Higher Specialist Training (HST) programmes in Pathology: Chemical Pathology, Clinical Microbiology, Haematology, Histopathology and Immunology. Completion of the HST programme is preparation for becoming a consultant in these specialties.

Highlights for the past year include: • The Faculty hosted meetings in Dublin of the

International Liaison of Pathology Presidents (ILPP) and the European Union of Medical Scientists section of Pathology.

• The Faculty achieved a National Irish Healthcare Award in 2015 in the Excellence in Healthcare Management category for its National QI Programme in Histopathology.

• During the year the Faculty began a partnership with Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) to deliver training to biomedical scientists in histodissection.

• In February 2016, Dr Peter Kelly completed his term of office as Dean. Prof Hilary Humphreys commenced his three year term as Dean of the Faculty of Pathology in February 2016. Hilary Humphreys is Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Consultant Microbiologist in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.

Prof Hilary HumphreysDean of the Faculty of Pathology

Dr Raymond BarryDean of the Faculty of Paediatrics

Doctors on our Basic Specialist Training Programme

Doctors on our Basic Specialist Training Programme in Histopathology76

109

25

91Doctors on our Higher Specialist Training Programme

Doctors on our Higher Specialist Training Programme in Histopathology

4948 6.4Faculty Report

As the national professional and training body for Public Health Medicine in Ireland, the expert members of the Faculty continue to meet the strict standards required to deliver postgraduate specialist training.

There are close to 180 Members, who are experienced Public Health Specialists and leading experts in their field. Established in 1976, the Faculty is accredited by the Medical Council of Ireland. The Faculty offers a four-year Higher Specialist Training Programme. Completion of this Programme enables doctors to enter the Specialist Division of the Registrar of the Medical Council and apply for consultant posts in this specialty.

Key highlights over the last year include: • Fellows of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine

have a long tradition in advocating for changes in public health policy and today these doctors play a very active role in RCPI policy groups in the areas of alcohol, obesity, physical activity, ageing, tobacco and Towards 2026.

• The first Diplomate Members, who successfully completed Part 1 of the new Membership of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine (MFPHMI) examination, were admitted to the Faculty in May

6.5Faculty Report

The Institute continues to guide doctors in the provision of medical and surgical care for women throughout their lives. Combined training in both obstetrics and gynaecology is crucial because of the overlap between these specialties.

The Institute has close to 200 Members who are experienced Consultant Obstetricians/Gynaecologists and are leading experts in their field. Established in 1976, the Institute is accredited by the Medical Council of Ireland to deliver postgraduate specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The Institute offers a three-year Basic Specialist Training Programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, which is the first step to becoming an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist in Ireland.

It also offers a five-year Higher Specialist Training Programme, which is completed in Specialist Registrar (SpR) posts. On completion of this programme, doctors can enter the Specialist Division of the Registrar with the Medical Council and apply for consultant posts in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Highlights from last year include:• The continuation of advice to the Department of

Health in the formulation of the National Maternity

Strategy, which will lead to a major improvement in the standard of care received by women giving birth in Ireland. The strategy, Creating a Better Future Together, is the first of its kind and was published in January. It proposes a single model of care in which women will be given options among three distinct pathways of care to make their individual experiences of giving birth as positive as possible.

• Playing an integral role in advising the Chief Medical Officer on late termination of pregnancy for lethal fetal abnormality prior to separate bills (draft legislation) on the topic being tabled in Dail Eireann, the Irish parliament.

Dr Peter BoylanChair of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Prof Elizabeth KeaneDean of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine

2016. This follows the establishment last year of Diplomate Membership as a new category.

• Collaboration with colleagues in Northern Ireland with the Island of Ireland Registrar’s Prize. The event, inaugurated in 2014, aims to encourage cross-border collaboration on issues relating to public health medicine.

• The Faculty hosted a training day on Professional Competence for active and retired public health doctors in February 2016. Over 60 doctors participated. The feedback will inform the development of additional guidance by the Faculty’s Professional Competence Committee.

• The Faculty published a position paper entitled Migrant Health – the Health of Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Relocated Individuals in order to address the health needs of this vulnerable group.

Doctors in our Higher Specialist Training Programme in Public Health Medicine22

Doctors on our Basic Specialist Training Programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology71

61 Doctors on our Higher Specialist Training Programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology

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The role of ICHMT includes:• Liaising with the Health Service Executive (HSE) National

Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP) on the development and delivery of training

• Developing policies relating to training in the 16 medical specialties listed above, implementing and reviewing the delivery of their training programmes, including recruitment, selection, assessment, examination, remediation and certification

• Approving new trainers, posts, departments and hospitals for training in each specialty

• Ensuring training sites are inspected regularly so that training standards are maintained

• Appointing National Specialty Directors (NSDs) and Regional Specialty Advisors (RSAs)

• Awarding Certificates of Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training (CSCST)

• Ensuring that professional standards for doctors in general medicine are maintained, including the development and delivery of Professional Competence Schemes in accordance with the standards specified by the Medical Council

• Reviewing applications to the Specialist Division of the Medical Council’s Register of Medical Practitioners in accordance with standards specified by the Medical Council

• Acting in an advisory capacity to government and statutory bodies in all matters pertaining to general medical specialties

The Irish Committee on Higher Medical Training (ICHMT) is the national training body for General Medicine in Ireland. With over 700 trainees in Basic Specialist Training and Higher Specialist Training, it is the largest postgraduate medical training body in Ireland – well positioned to pursue excellence in the delivery of healthcare.

The ICHMT is responsible for delivering Basic Specialist Training Programme in General Internal Medicine for 460 Trainees. At the end of the BST Programme, Trainees

have achieved MRCPI. ICHMT also is responsible for delivering the Higher Specialist Training Programme in 16 specialties for 320 Trainees. An annual assessment of all Trainees on the HST Programme is carried out to monitor their progress.

The 16 specialties in HST are:• Cardiology• Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics• Clinical Genetics• Dermatology• Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus• Gastroenterology• Genitourinary Medicine• Geriatric Medicine• Infectious Diseases• Medical Oncology• Nephrology• Neurology• Palliative Medicine• Rehabilitation Medicine• Respiratory Medicine• Rheumatology

Each specialty has a Specialist Training Committee (STC) which is responsible for reviewing training in that specialty.

6.6Faculty Report

460 320Number of Trainees in General Internal Medicine

Basic Specialist Training

Higher Specialist Training

“ We are committed to delivering world-class postgraduate training and work to ensure doctors on our training programmes reach international standards of excellence.”Prof Des Carney, Chair of ICHMT:

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2 3

5352 7.0

HERITAGE CENTRE

Our HeritageWe have delivered teaching and training to doctors since 1654. We are the proud guardians of over 350 years of historical archives dating from the foundation of the College. Our collections include manuscripts, books, prints, photographs and other unique items relating to the history of medicine and medical education in Ireland. Our Heritage Centre is a research and educational hub specialising in the history of medicine and medical humanities in Ireland.

During the past year the focus of the Heritage Centre has been on preparing for our September 2016 application to the Heritage Council for interim accreditation under the Museum Standards Programme for Ireland.

The centre participated once again in National Heritage Week and Culture Night, as well as hosting a series of lectures during St Luke’s Symposium, which explored the impact of World War I on medicine. During April 2016 the centre joined the programme of events to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising, which included making Dr Kathleen Lynn’s diaries available online.

We work in partnership with the Apothecaries Hall of Ireland to support new research into the history of medicine in Ireland. Our jointly funded PhD Fellowship is

entering its second year, and the Hall is funding a Lucas Memorial lecture during St Luke’s Symposium.

Did you know?

We weren’t always called the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. We were founded as the Fraternity of Physicians of Trinity Hall in 1654. We were renamed the College of Physicians in Dublin in 1667, then became the King and Queen’s College of Physicians in Ireland in 1692. We finally became the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 1890.

The endoscope was invented by a former President Sir Francis Richard Cruise, an Irish doctor and President of RCPI from 1884 to 1886, first demonstrated his invention in 1865, helping to advance the exploration of human anatomy considerably.

The oldest item in our archive is 349 years oldDating from 1667, the oldest item in our archive is the College’s Grant of Arms, recording the granting of the College’s Arms and Motto by the Ulster King of Arms, Sir Richard St. George.

We have Napoleon’s toothbrushWe also have his snuff box. These items, which were donated to RCPI by Mrs Mary Tyrell in 1937, were originally presented by Napoleon to the Irish surgeon Barry Edward O’Meara (1789-1836).

Poets, Presidents and a Boomtown RatHonorary Fellowship of the College is awarded to those who have made an exceptional contribution to medicine, philanthropy or society. RCPI together with its Faculties and Institute has approximately 500 Honorary Fellows, including the late poet and Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, singer and political activist Bob Geldof, and all the Presidents of Ireland from Éamon De Valera to Michael D Higgins.

Restoring Works of ArtThanks to the generous support of Fellows of the College through our Adopt a Treasure Programme, nine works of art have been restored, These include portraits by prominent 20th century artists John Butler Yeats, Leo Whelan and Sean Keating. All of the restored artworks will be displayed in RCPI’s home at No 6 Kildare Street. This support is essential to our role in protecting our unique historic collections.

1. Thomas Gilman Moorhead, President 1930-1933, by Leo Whelan

2. Joseph Warwick Bigger, FRCPI, by Sean Keating3. Charles Edward Fitzgerald, President 1912-1914,

by John Butler Yeats

5554 8.0AWARDS AND GRANTS 2015/2016

RCPI Trainee Committee AwardsThe Corrigan MedalDr Elizabeth Johanna SmythPoster Presentation – Dr Alexandra Murphy

William Stokes AwardDr Muriel SadlierPoster Presentation – Dr Terri McVeigh

David Mitchell AwardDr Sinead GlackinPoster Presentation – Dr Sarah Griffin

MRCI ExaminationsCanavan Medal Dr Larissa Higgins

Faculty of Pathology George Greene MedalDr Maura Cotter

John D Kennedy MedalDr Jane Cryan

Faculty of Public Health Medicine Zachary Johnson MedalDr Ronan Glynn

Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Sean Boyle MemorialProf Michael Foley

Chairman’s MedalProf Robert F Harrison

Rory O’Connor MedalDr Maebh Horan and Dr Somaia Elsayed

Faculty of Occupational MedicineJames Smiley AwardProf Sanjay Sharma (2015)

History of Medicine AwardKirkpatrick History of Medicine AwardMs Robyn Atcheson

PhD Fellowship in the History of Medicine in IrelandThis PhD Fellowship is jointly funded by the Apothecaries Hall of Ireland Fiona Shannon, Trinity College, Dublin

Traffic Medicine Mary Ward Essay PrizeFirst Prize: Kai Fung Kevin Suen

Traffic Medicine Research GrantDr Carol Sinnott and Prof Colin Bradley (Co-Principle Investigators), Dr Tony Foley, Dr Clare Collins, and Ms Linda Horgan and Dr Emer Begley (Collaborators)

Reuben Harvey PrizeMs Ciara Catherine Kelly Ms Sarah Petch Ms Michelle MaddenMs Rachel Mattson

Fellowships awarded Bresnihan Molloy FellowshipDr Gillian Fitzgerald

MSD Educational Grant in EndocrinologyDr Anne McGowan

Novo Nordisk Travelling FellowshipDr Lisa Owens

Sanofi – Aventis Educational GrantDr Ruth Casey

Pfizer Rheumatology FellowshipDr John Stack

Prof Frank Murray presents Dr Elizabeth Johanna Smyth with the Corrigan Medal.

L-r Dr Muriel Sadlier, William Stokes Award; Dr Sinead Glacken, David Mitchell Award; Dr Elizabeth Johanna Smyth, Corrigan Medal with Dr Jane O’Halloran, Chair, RCPI Trainee Committee.

Traffic Medicine Mary Ward Essay prize-winners; l-r, Dr Kevin O’Malley (2nd prize), Dr Kai Fung Kevin Suen (1st prize), Dr Diarmuid Hickey (3rd prize)

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RCPI Council 2015/16

PresidentProf Frank Murray, FRCPI, FFPHMI (Hon)

RegistrarDr Diarmuid O’Shea, FRCPI

TreasurerProf Conor O’Keane, FRCPI, FFPATH

Vice-PresidentProf Colm Bergin, FRCPI

Senior Fellows 2014–2016Dr Geoffrey Chadwick, FRCPIProf Hilary Hoey, FRCPI, FFPAEDProf Hilary Humphreys, FRCPI, FFPATHDr Kathleen McGarry, FRCPI Prof Des O’Neill, FRCPI

Junior Fellows 2015–2017Dr Maeve Skelly, FRCPIDr Michael O’Connell, FRCPIProf Michael Keane, FRCPIDr John McDermott, FRCPIDr Áine Carroll, FRCPI

9.0GOVERNANCE

Faculty of Occupational Medicine Dr Declan Whelan, FRCPI, FFOM,

Faculty of Paediatrics Dr Ray Barry, FPAEDS

Faculty of Pathology Prof Hilary Humphreys FRCPI, FFPATH

Faculty of Public Health Medicine Prof Elizabeth Keane, FPHMI

Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Dr Peter Boylan, FRCPI

Irish Committee on Higher Medical Training Prof Des Carney, FRCPI

Lay Members of the CouncilMrs Patricia Rickard-ClarkeMr David Byrne

CensorsDr Michael O’Connell, FRCPIDr Catherine Fleming, FRCPIDr Donal Reddan, FRCPIProf Colm Bergin, FRCPI

Immediate Past-Presidents Prof John Crowe, FRCPIDr John F. Donohoe, FRCPI

Co-opted Fellows Dr T. Joseph McKenna, FRCPIDr Philip Crowley, FFPHMI

Director of DevelopmentProf Mary Horgan, FRCPI

Director of Professional CompetenceProf Hilary Hoey, FRCPI, FFPAED

Dean of Postgraduate Specialist Training and Dun’s Tutor Prof Anthony O’Regan, FRCPI

Director of ExaminationsDr Mary Holohan, FRCPI

Director of Education and Professional Development Dr Sinead Murphy, FFPAED

Director of Research Prof Richard Costello, FRCPI

Director of Quality and Clinical Care Dr Barry White, FRCPI

Chair of Ethics Committee Dr Una Fallon, MRCPI

Chair of Examinations Committee Dr Mary Holohan, FRCPI

Chair of Advisory Committee of Postgraduate Specialist Training Prof Anthony O’Regan, FRCPI

Co-Chairs of Education and ProfessionalDevelopment Committee Prof Hilary Hoey, FRCPI, FFPAEDDr Sinead Murphy, FFPAED

RCPI Trainee CommitteeDr James McMahon, MRCPI. Dr Mahon took over from Dr Jane O’Halloran, MRCPI in June 2016.

Representative on the Medical Council Dr John Barragry, FRCPI

Dun’s LibrarianDr Paul Darragh, FRCPI, FFPHMI

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Senior Management TeamMr Leo Kearns, CEOMs Joanna Holly, Deputy CEOMs Leah O’Toole, Head of Corporate AffairsMr Martin McCormack, Head of OperationsDr Ann O’Shaughnessy, Head of Education, Innovation and Research Mr John Magner, Head of International AffairsMs Catherine O’Reilly, Head of Finance, Facilities and ICT

Responsible StewardshipGiven the rate of growth of the organisation and the changes within the external environment, a Governance Review Group was established in 2016 to review College governance and to ensure that fit for purpose governance arrangements are in place and functioning. Included among the issues to be addressed are the roles of Officers, the functioning of Council and the Executive; the relationship of College and Faculties; College Committees; clarity regarding responsibility, authority and accountability; and specific known deficits. This Group will report its findings and recommendations to Council during the next 12 months.

Enhance Organisational CapabilityWe want to continue with the recruitment, development and retention of highly skilled, committed employees to enhance our organisational capability. Our staff help us fulfil our mission and meet our strategic aims.

Mr Leo Kearns resumes his role as CEOMr Leo Kearns resumed his role as CEO in September 2015 following a two-year secondment to the Health Service Executive as National Lead for Transformation and Change. Dr Len O’Hagan had been appointed as interim CEO during this two-year period.

New Programme Management Office establishedA Programme Management Office (PMO) was established in 2015 to support the roll out of a series of complex changes in RCPI. The PMO is centrally involved in a wide range of strategic change projects to ensure the organisation is meeting the needs of our Trainees, Members and Fellows and our wider healthcare stakeholders.

RCPI is in the midst of a major digital transformation. We are committed to continuous innovation through the application of digital technologies and the restructuring of operations to focus on the customer experience.

This ambitious programme of change requires new ways of working and thinking. Transparency and accuracy in how we report against our plans and monitor our progress will benefit the organisation.

Key outcomes from the PMO in the last year include the development of a new mobile responsive website, an online store and the launch of The Physician Network, and new resources and governance arrangements to support change delivery programmes.

New Key AppointmentsHead of Corporate Affairs appointed Leah O’Toole was appointed as Head of Corporate Affairs in October 2015. Included within this brief are: the Heritage Centre, Policy, Communications, College and Faculties, Alumni, the Forum of Irish Postgraduate Medical Training Bodies and Traffic Medicine.

9.0GOVERNANCE

128Staff currently work in RCPI

Royal College of Physicians of Ireland,Frederick House, 19 South Frederick Street, Dublin 2, IrelandPhone: +353 1 863 9700Fax: +353 1 672 4707

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www.rcpi.ie