Clinical leadership is the solution, not the problem, to health reform - IHCA

IHCA Annual Conference 2025: Leading from the Frontline: Medical Negligence & Clinical Leadership

IHCA Annual Conference highlights need for clinician-led healthcare reform

Clinician-led leadership is the key to a fairer, safer, and more sustainable health service, the President of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA), Professor Gabrielle Colleran, has stated ahead of the Association’s Annual Conference in Kilkenny.

The IHCA will host its Annual Conference 2025 today (Saturday, 18 October) at Mount Juliet Estate, Kilkenny, under the theme ‘Leading from the Frontline: Medical Negligence & Clinical Leadership’.

The event brings up to 200 consultants and healthcare leaders from across Ireland to examine two of the most pressing issues facing the health system today: medical negligence and clinical leadership A Focus on Compassion, Leadership, and Reform
The morning session, Medico-Legal Matters: Law Meets Humanity, will explore how Ireland can achieve fairer, faster, and more compassionate resolution for patients and clinicians caught in protracted medical negligence processes. This discussion will build on the IHCA’s constructive engagement with the Department of Justice, the State Claims Agency, and the Expert Witness Site to advance pre-action protocols and strengthen the role of Irish-based expert witnesses.

The afternoon session, Leading from the Frontline: Clinical Leadership, will examine how clinical leadership can drive cultural change and improve patient outcomes, and the role of Clinical Director in meeting those objectives. Speakers will include Robert Watt (Secretary General, Department of Health), Dr Colm Henry (Chief Clinical Officer, HSE), and Prof Deborah McNamara (President, RCSI), alongside clinical leaders such as Dr Ike Okafor (Children’s Health Ireland), Dr Amanda Burke (HSE Child and Youth Mental Health) and Prof Nóirín Russell (CervicalCheck).

A Constructive Voice for Consultants

IHCA President Prof Gabrielle Colleran said the event reflects the Association’s renewed focus on being a constructive, credible, and courageous advocate for consultants and patients alike:
“As hospital consultants, we carry not just the responsibility of care, but the right to share, to share our thoughts, our insights, our hopes, and our dreams for a better, fairer, and more functional health service for every patient in the country.”
“Our discussions this year move beyond criticism to collaboration. We want to light a candle, not curse the darkness, to show that clinician-led leadership is the key to a fairer, safer, and more sustainable health service.”

Driving a New Era of Clinician-Led Reform

IHCA CEO Jim Daly said the Annual Conference comes at a pivotal moment for healthcare reform in Ireland:
“The IHCA is entering a new chapter, one that puts consultants at the heart of shaping reform, driving quality improvement, and strengthening trust in our health system.
“This year’s Conference reflects that shift. It’s not just about identifying problems, but offering solutions rooted in the daily realities of clinical care. Our members are leading teams, managing complexity, and caring for patients under immense pressure, and their experience must guide the next phase of national reform.”

Celebrating Excellence

The day will conclude with the presentation of the President’s Awards, honouring consultants who have made exceptional contributions to patient care, education, and leadership.

For Media Queries Contact: John Paul Hughes, Head of Communications & Engagement, IHCA
jphughes@ihca.ie - 085 77 66 393

About the IHCA
The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) is the representative body for hospital consultants in Ireland. With over 4,000 members across all specialties, the IHCA advocates for high-quality hospital and patient care and fair terms and conditions for consultants and provides a trusted voice for frontline clinical leaders. The IHCA is committed to ensuring patients have timely access to care and that consultants are supported to deliver excellence in clinical practice, education, and research.