RCPI’s annual conference to shine a light on patient care

The upcoming St Luke’s Symposium will focus on the topical issues of integrated and community-based healthcare.

The RCPI is looking forward to the St Luke’s Symposium, its premier annual conference, that will take place from Tuesday 11 to Friday 14 October in No 6 Kildare Street and online. There are over 14 CPD credits available across the four-day conference, which is open for booking. 

The theme for this year’s St Luke’s Symposium is integrated and community-based patient care, which is highly topical and a top priority for all in healthcare provision as we move towards our integrated model of care in line with Sláintecare.

After two years on the frontline of a global pandemic, this is a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with the College and colleagues to share learning, participate in discussions and meet colleagues and friends both in person and online. We have gathered a wide range of leading experts to share their insights on empowering patients to play an active role in managing their long-term health conditions; delve into current best practice in integrated care and community care; and to look forward to how this new model of care will expand and enhance medical practice and patient care in the years ahead. There will also be a focus on medical education and training and workforce planning, which are critical to the success of a new model of integrated healthcare delivery. We are confident that this year’s programme will be appealing and already are seeing strong bookings for all events.

Join us to hear from Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer, HSE; Prof Breda Smyth, Interim Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health; Dr Niamh Lennox-Chhugani, Chief Executive, International Foundation for Integrated Care; Dr Oonagh O’Hagan, Community Pharmacist, Meagher’s Pharmacy Group; Prof Susan Smith, Professor of General Practice,Trinity College Dublin; Prof Áine O’Carroll, Professor of Healthcare Innovation and Improvement, University College Dublin (UCD); Dr Amir Niazi, National Clinical Advisor and Group Lead for Mental Health, HSE; Prof Andrew Green, Clinical Geneticist, Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin; Prof Derek O’Keeffe, Consultant Physician, University Hospital Galway; Prof Jane McNaughton, Professor of Medical Humanities, Durham University; Dr Andrew Goddard, Immediate Past President, Royal College of Physicians (UK); and many more.

The conference begins with a special online event for NCHDs and consultant trainers interested in applying for entry to the Medical Council specialist division of the register. This is an online-only event. Alongside tips for applying, participants will hear first-hand accounts from consultants who have been through the process.

Public meeting

Putting the patient at the centre of their own care, the St Luke’s public meeting will explore how patients can, and are, making a difference in managing their own long-term health conditions. We are honoured to have a patient from the HSE’s Living Life Better Programme joining us to share how they have been able to enhance their quality-of-life.

The public meeting is one of the highlights of the St Luke’s Symposium. It gives the wider community access to leading experts and innovative care information in a truly accessible format. And, in particular, this session will be hugely valuable to those who have a long-term health condition and their families who wish to support them as best they can. Our experts will discuss how vaccines protect your health, the importance of diet and exercise in the management of chronic diseases, and how community pharmacists can offer support with your self-care. Prof Sean Dinneen, HE National Lead for the Diabetes Clinical Programme, will chair a questions and answers session at the end of this meeting.

Integrated and community care

Integrated and community care are vital to the provision of an effective health service in Ireland. On Thursday 13 October, the St Luke’s Symposium will explore multiple themes within this context, kicking off with an analysis of the current state and exploring future directions for integrated and community care.

Throughout the day, we will delve into specific examples, such as community gynaecological services and Pathfinder – an alternative to the emergency department for older people who dial 999/112. 

Consultant Clinical Geneticist Prof Andrew Green will examine the role of genetics and genomics in integrated care. 

Continuing to look for opportunities to build on advancements in integrated and community care, our expert panellists will explore implementation, digital health technology, telehealth, and the future of medical training. 

We know first-hand the commitment it takes for our trainees to advance their knowledge through continuous education and to provide world-leading care to their patients. It is crucial that the College facilitates robust conversation on the current and future state of training in Ireland, continually striving for better. Prof Anthony O’Regan, Dean of the RCPI Institute of Medicine, was recently appointed to Chair the national taskforce on the NCHD workforce. Prof O’Regan will join a panel including Prof Brian Kinirons, Medical Director of the HSE National Doctors Training and Planning unit; Prof John Wilson, President of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians; and Dr Andrew Goddard, immediate past-President of the Royal College of Physicians (UK), to discuss trainee needs, medical training, and workforce planning, with a keen eye on the future. 

RCPI will award the first Management Fellowships to doctors who completed a new collaborative programme between the College and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The programme will be expanded to other management consultancy firms to help to build the leadership and managerial capabilities of the next generation of clinical leaders. 

Heritage Day

Celebrating the rich culture and heritage of medicine in Ireland and of our own College, St Luke’s would not be St Luke’s without Heritage Day. We are very excited to hear about the foundations and evolving role of medical humanities. Prof Jane McNaughton, Durham University, will present ‘Making breath visible: A medical humanities approach to breathlessness’, and Dr Elizabeth Barrett and Dr Clare Hayes-Brady (PhD), both from UCD, will discuss reflection, resilience, and recognition in healthcare. 

Dr Brendan McDonnell will then chair a panel on medical history touching on accounts from the Dublin City coroner’s court in the late 1800s and the evolving role of doctors and family planning in Ireland. 

While we have seen an impressive number of physicians admitted to the College with MRCPI or FRCPI over the past two years, due to restrictions it has not been possible to formally confer everyone who is eligible to become a member. We are thrilled to announce that we will host in-person conferring ceremonies at No 6 this year. Prof John Wilson and Prof Andrew Goddard will be awarded Honorary Fellowships of the RCPI.