17th Annual Clinical Workshop 2025 on integrated care

The 17^th Annual Clinical Workshop was held on the 25^th of January 2025 in the Medical Academy at Sligo University Hospital. 

This was an integrated care workshop coordinated by Primary Care Sligo/Leitrim, HSE Community Services Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo, GPs and Sligo University Hospital.  The event was open to GPs and Consultants to attend.  There was significant interest in the workshop with good attendance on the day, despite the weather challenges. 

The sessions were jointly chaired by Dr. Amanda Devaney, Community Medical Doctor, Dr Wouter Jonker, Consultant Anesthetist, Dr Valerie McGowan, General Practitioner and Professor Cathy McHugh, Consultant Endocrinologist. 

The format of this workshop consisted of case presentations/panel group discussion by paired Consultant/ GP on four clinical topics; Barretts Esophagus, Early Childhood Development, Asthma and Haemochromatosis.

According to Emma Ball, General Manager, Primary Care Sligo/Leitrim, “The day provided an opportunity for Acute and Primary Care services to see the work being carried out by each other and to get a better feel for each service, especially those in the clinical areas. My thanks to Professor Nash Patil and Dr Michael Coleman for organising our wonderful speakers for the event. It was a great success.”

Grainne McCann, Hospital Manager, SUH stated “It was a useful networking morning and gave participants the chance to discuss clinical care across all services. It also allowed new staff to meet contacts which would prove valuable in the future.”

Professor Nash Patil, in his opening remarks, mentioned that “the contacts that people will form here today will allow for the further development of patient care at both general practice and hospital level.” He remarked that now in it’s 17^th year the conference was “going from strength to strength. ” He encouraged participants to continue to build on the relationships that had been fostered at this event, and thanked everyone for attending on a Saturday morning. 

This long standing conference is a valuable tool year on year to promote networking and information sharing with a view to improving integrated care delivered between hospital, and primary care services.