“I am delighted to welcome our delegates and partners from across the island of Ireland, and from all around the world, to our annual Health and Education International Research Conference (#THEConf) at the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College. 

I greatly value the time you have taken to come to our School.  This conference is a space to share your valuable contributions, insights, and discussions with fellow researchers, educators and those who are shaping health services both on this island and internationally. I hope that this sharing of ground-breaking research will spark new conversations and potential future partnerships.  

A core value and mission of the Trinity College School of Nursing and Midwifery is the translation of world class research into real life impact on people’s experiences of birth, death, health, illness and disability.  Over the years this conference has proven instrumental in developing international connections and networks that have transformed and improved health and wellbeing across the lifespan.

I hope your time in Trinity and Dublin will be both academically stimulating and enjoyable.

Thank you for being here with us today.

Damien

Biography in progress.

Biography in progress.

Brian O’Connell is Professor of Restorative Dentistry in the School of Dental Science and was elected Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences in 2021.

He was Dean of Dental Affairs and Head of School from 2015-2021, where he had a particular interest in the development of oral health policy in Ireland and internationally.

He is currently President of the Association for Dental Education in Europe and Past President of the International Association for Dental Research and a member of the Platform for Better Oral Health in Europe. Professor O’Connell leads the oral health strand of the Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Maria was appointed Chief Nursing Officer for the Department of Health for Northern Ireland in March 2022. 

Maria previously worked across a range of acute and community settings within Health and Social care in England and Scotland and has gained extensive leadership, management and strategic experience.  

As Northern Ireland’s Chief Nursing Officer, Maria leads the nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals’ contribution to the development and implementation of health and social care policy in NI.  Her team provides advice on adult and children's acute services, mental health, elderly care, learning and physical disabilities, public health, community health, primary care, midwifery, and international issues.  Maria also carries responsibility for the development of nursing and midwifery training and education arrangements alongside Health & Social Care Trusts and Higher Education Institutions in the region. 

Her vision for the future of the Nursing & Midwifery professions in Northern Ireland was launched in May 2023, and significant work is underway to implement it in coming months. 

Rachel Kenna is the (CNO) for Ireland and was appointed to the post in June 2020. Rachel was formerly a Deputy Chief Nursing Officer leading on nursing and midwifery policy for patient systems, safety, and governance.  She is a Registered Children’s and General Nurse (RCN/RGN) and has extensive clinical and managerial experience, spanning 30 years in Ireland and the UK across a wide variety of clinical areas. Prior to her roles in the Department of Health, Rachel was Director of Nursing in Ireland’s largest Children’s teaching Hospital with national responsibility for the provision of quaternary and tertiary healthcare services. 

The Chief Nursing Officer role is an important strategic leadership and influencing role providing professional policy direction and evidence-based expert advice for Government on nursing, midwifery, and general health policy development. Rachel has a real interest in health policy and brings a knowledgeable clinical practice, patient, system and governance perspective to its development and implementation. The development of flexible nursing and midwifery policy to ensure the professions are in the best position to meet population need is a particular focus for Rachel and includes a real passion about nurturing the next generation of healthcare leaders.   

As an Assistant Secretary in the Department of Health, the CNO in addition to Nursing and Midwifery policy has a wide health policy portfolio. These include professional regulation oversight (medical council, CORU and NMBI) , strategic workforce planning across the health service, population health screening and the National Patient Safety Office.  

Rachel ‘s interest in global health policy includes  active membership  of the WHO European region Government Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers Hub contributing to strengthening the nursing and midwifery workforce to improve health outcomes.  

She is educated in a wide range of areas to support her  in her role and holds a MSc in Child Protection and Welfare and a BSc in Nursing Management. Rachel’s other educational qualifications includes a Higher Diploma in Professional Practice, Critical Care Nursing, Leadership and Quality in Healthcare,  a Diploma in Human Rights and Equality and a Professional Diploma in Governance. Rachel is also a Florence Nightingale Leadership graduate.

Originally from Ireland, Vivien completed her general nurse training in 1991 and studied for a Masters of Community Health in 1997 in the School of Tropical Medicine, University of Liverpool.

Her first posting abroad was in 1992 in Cambodia, and since then she has continued her humanitarian work with the International Committee of the Red Cross/Irish Red Cross across 20 countries, mainly conflict affected. She has worked in areas of Primary Health Care, Weapon Wounded and First Aid and Pre Hospital Care. She currently specializes in Health Care in Detention.

She was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal in 2019 in recognition of her work in prisons in Iraq following the conflict in Mosul. She was also awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 2020 and an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by Dublin City University in 2021.

She is committed to the work of the Red Cross and advocating for equivalence of health care for all, including detainees.

She is currently based in Yemen working on Primary Health Care and Health in Detention Projects.

Biography in progress.