September 3rd 2018: Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) has announced the schedule for the Autumn/Winter series of Public Health Talks, an initiative that is run in partnership with the Patient Community Advisory Council (PCAC). This initiative launched in January 2017, with six events taking place, this year there will be double the amount with 15 talks scheduled.
The talks feature medical, nursing and social care professionals discussing topical and common health issues with a Q&A session at the end of every talk. The talks are free to attend and open to all members of the public.
Eight of these talks are scheduled between now and November, TUH in partnership with the PCAC have put together a comprehensive schedule based on feedback from attendees of the talks since the launch last year. Health topics being covered in the Autumn/Winter schedule include stroke, dementia, women’s health and chronic lung conditions.
Catherine Heaney, Chairperson of the PCAC and Fettercairn Community Health Project Co-Ordinator welcomed the announcement of the Autumn/Winter schedule, saying, “The Public Health Talks series has been a huge success since it was launched in 2017. It is hugely beneficial to the local community that we have been able to put the Autumn/Winter schedule together based on feedback from those who have attended the talks from the very start. We are looking forward to welcoming members of the community to a growing number of community locations over the next few months.”
Also speaking about the announcement of the Autumn/Winter Public Health Talks series, Dr. Catherine Wall, Clinical Lead at TUH, said, “The ethos of People Caring for People is at the heart of everything we do in the Hospital. It is a real testament to the commitment from supportive clinicians and health care professionals that there has been such an increase in the number of talks this year and in those attending the talks. I am looking forward to building on the initiative as it continues to grow in momentum and hope to see as many people as possible attend the interesting line up of events.”
Tallaght University Hospital Public Health Talks - Autumn/Winter 2018 schedule |
Topic | Location | Date | Time |
Making Stroke History - How to recognise the signs and symptoms of Stroke Professor Rónán Collins, Consultant Physician in Geriatric & Stroke Medicine, TUH. | Tallaght Health Fair, Fettercairn Community Centre | 11th September | 10:30am |
Are You Winter Ready - Advice and practical tips for children, how to prevent and treat common winter illnesses such as colds, flu and winter vomiting. Where and when you should get medical help. Dr. Turlough Bolger, Children’s Emergency Department Consultant, TUH. | Tallaght Health Fair, Fettercairn Community Centre | 11th September | 11:15am |
Cholesterol - Everybody has it, but this talk will explain what you need to know about it and why it is so important. Professor Vincent Maher, Consultant Cardiologist & Lipidologist, TUH. | Tallaght Health Fair, Fettercairn Community Centre | 11th September | 12:15pm |
Dementia – Reducing the Risks. This talk will look at how you can mind your brain health as you age, providing useful health information and tips. Professor Sean Kennelly, Consultant Physician in Geriatric & Stroke Medicine, TUH, Clinical Nurse Specialist Cathy McHale & Senior Dietitian Eimear Digan TUH. | Kilnamanagh Family Recreation Centre | 20th September | 11am |
Women’s Health – a wide ranging talk that will cover Endometriosis–what it is and what treatment is available. Cervical checks and why they are important. Pelvic Pain what causes it and what treatments is available with practical advice on how to mind your pelvic muscles! Advanced Nurse Practitioners Sinead Cleary, Colleen Byrne & Rachel McCormack | An Cosán, Tallaght | 25th September | 11am |
Arthritis – Arthritis Prevention; How to Minimise Risk. Professor Ronan Mullan, Consultant Rheumatologist | Firhouse Community Centre, Tallaght | 10th October | 11am |
*Let’s Talk Clots - Often referred to as ‘Thrombosis’ this wide-ranging talk will cover blood clots what they are, how they happen and what happens when they happen! There will also be a speaker on how to manage worry after an illness. Professor Rónán Collins, Consultant Physician in Geriatric & Stroke Medicine, Dr. Áine Connolly, Senior Psychologist Anne Marie O’Neill, Patient & Founder of Thrombosis Ireland. | Rua Red Theatre, Tallaght | 17th October | 6:30pm |
COPD - Never too early, never too late. What changes you can make to improve your health following a diagnosis of this chronic lung condition. This event is being run in partnership with the Tallaght COPD Support Group. | Red Rua Theatre | 15th November | 10am |
*Please Note that registration is required for this event. Please email info@thrombosisireland.ie or call 087 363 4828. Doors will open at 6:30pm with the talks starting promptly at 7pm.
About Tallaght University Hospital
Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) is one of Ireland’s largest acute teaching hospitals, providing child-health, adult, mental health and age-related healthcare on one site. The Hospital has 495 adult beds and 67 paediatric bed with over 3,000 people on staff it is a provider of local, regional and national specialities. It is also a national urology centre, the second largest provider of dialysis services in the country and a regional orthopaedic trauma centre.
TUH is one of the two main teaching hospitals of Trinity College Dublin - specialising in the training and professional development of staff in areas such as nursing, health and social care professionals, emergency medicine and surgery, amongst many others. Tallaght University Hospital is uniquely part of both the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group and the Children’s Hospital Group which serves a population of over 1.2 million across seven counties.
A new satellite centre is to be built at TUH as part of the National Children’s Hospital project as a key element of an integrated clinical network for paediatric services nationally. The Hospital’s Emergency Departments catered for 50,286 Adult Attendances and 32,886 Paediatric Attendances in 2017. A further 291,483 patients were treated through the Hospital’s adult and paediatric outpatient clinics in 2017. The Hospital’s operations are supported by 200 general practitioners in surrounding communities.
About the PCAC
Established in 2013 the Patient Community Advisory Council (PCAC) was set up with the support of the Executive Management Team of Tallaght University Hospital. The PCAC is dedicated to the improvement of quality in patient care at Tallaght University Hospital and help support the Hospital’s values. The group meets 10 times a year provides an opportunity for the Hospital to hear directly from patients, users of our services on their experience during their patient journey with the Hospital. Provide feedback on current systems and processes in the hospital and give their thoughts on new systems being introduced and generate new ideas to improve the standard of care.
The PCAC is composed of groups representing the Community along with staff of the Hospital the current membership include community members: Catherine Heaney (Chair), Fettercairn Community Health Project; Ciaran Young (Vice Chair), Community Member special interest in the patient experience; Marie Price Bolger, Trustus; Fran Keyes, Tallaght Travellers, Primary Healthcare Programme; Jim Lawlor, South Dublin County Council Public Participation Network; Maureen Callan, Volunteer Representative and Declan Daly, Patient Representative. TUH Members: Carol Mullins (Patient Advocacy), Áine Lynch (Adult Service), Joanne Coffey (Communications), Amanda McCormack (Children’s Service)
