Medical and business experts will come together to discuss the future for GPs, healthcare professionals and patients at the fourth annual Primary Healthcare Conference. Hosted by Investnet Healthcare, in association with Ayrfield Medical Practice, the Conference will be officially opened by Minister of State and Carlow/Kilkenny Ann Phelan TD in the Lyrath Estate Hotel, Kilkenny on Wednesday 19th November 2014.
Commenting on the Conference Dr Tadhg Crowley, Ayrfield Medical Practice said: “General practice in Ireland is working to a 1970s contract and it’s time to bring the role of the GP into the 21st Century. It is the only arm of the health service that provides a same day service and comes in on budget yet the present Government has repeatedly slashed its budget.”
“We have a ready and willing workforce and now need a properly resourced contract to provide the service we have been trained to do. I hope the conference will showcase the talents that today’s GP has and the pivotal role that we play in the delivery of an effective primary healthcare system in Ireland.”
The Conference will be addressed by national and international experts including: IMO Chairman, Dr Ray Walley; Primary Care GPs, Dr Tadhg Crowley and Dr David Molony; Chief Executive of the Irish College of General Practitioners, Kieran Ryan; private health insurance expert and Chief Executive of Total Health Cover, Dermot Goode; John Henessey, HSE National Director for Primary Care; Pat Healy, National Director of Social Care in the HSE and Alisa Haushalter, Director of Nemours Children’s Hospital in the United States.
Also speaking at the Conference will be Dr Frank Chambers Secretary of the local faculty of the ICGP, who will present a talk on ‘What we can and can’t do’. Dr Chambers’ presentation will explore the controversial Draft GP Contract for the Under 6s and provide a platform for discussion around the scope and limitations of the GP’s role in a primary care system.
David Neville / Marc Butterly, Director of Investnet Healthcare added: “With the changing political landscape and the announcement from the Government that some additional funding will be put towards health and the build of primary care centres, it is no surprise that we are experiencing a huge interest in the Primary Healthcare Conference this year. We are also eagerly awaiting the roll-out of the HSE’s service plan in the coming weeks which we are sure will help to make this one of liveliest Conferences to date.”
In excess of 400 people are expected to attend the Primary Healthcare Conference, including 100 GPs alongside business people and healthcare professionals. Attending medical professionals will be awarded with x CPD credits on attending.
For the first time at the Primary Care Conference, this year’s event will include ‘break-out’ best practice sessions focussing on three areas of interest:
- The Future of Primary Care, chaired by Dr Tadhg Crowley, Ayrfield Medical Practice
- The Future of General Practice through the eyes of an insurer, chaired by Dermot Goode, Total Health Cover
- Errors in Prescribing and How to Reduce Your Risk, chaired by Dr Diarmuid Quinlan
The mid-morning session will be dedicated to quality focussing in particular on the EQA standard accreditation process for Primary Care Centres. Kieran Ryan, CEO of the ICGP will chair the quality session which will include presentations from Mary Dunnion, Deputy Director of Regulation Health and Children’s Services, HIQA; Dr David Molony, Mallow Primary Healthcare and Dr.Philip Crowley, National Director of the Quality and Patient Safety Division, HSE.
For further information on the Conference and speakers visit www.primarycareconference.ie / www.ampk.ie / #primarycareconf / @HealthIreland