10th April 2018 April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and to mark it, Tallaght University Hospital is hosting a free public information evening on April 18th in Tallaght County Library. Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of death in Ireland and the information evening will focus on providing useful health information and tips as well as answering audience questions.
The Bowel Cancer Awareness session will be led by Dr Anthony O’Connor, Consultant Gastroenterologist and will focus on aspects such as family history of the disease, diet and lifestyle, prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
The event is free and open to all members of the public and will take place on April 18th from 6pm–7.30pm in Tallaght County Library.
Speaking about the upcoming session, Dr Anthony O’Connor Consultant Gastroenterologist at Tallaght University Hospital said; “Over 2,700 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in Ireland each year and the information session on April 18th is designed to provide vital information to members of the public and answer any questions they may have. Bowel cancer, which is also known as colon, rectal or colorectal cancer, is the second biggest killer in Ireland however if it is diagnosed and treated early, the clinical outcomes are much improved for patients. I will be talking about the signs and symptoms to look out for as well as how diet and lifestyle can impact the health of your bowel as well as the importance of familial history. I look forward to welcoming everyone to Tallaght County Library on April 18th.”
The free event is part of an initiative that Tallaght Hospital began last year in partnership with the Patient Community Advisory Council (PCAC) and will be the first of many regular public events featuring medical, nursing and allied health professionals discussing topical and common health issues in 2018.
Notes to Editor:
About Tallaght University Hospital
Tallaght University Hospital is one of Ireland’s largest acute teaching hospitals, providing child-health, adult, psychiatric and age-related healthcare on one site. The hospital has 495 adult beds and 67 paediatric bed with over 3,000 people on staff. The Hospital 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.
Tallaght University Hospital 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 Tallaght University Hospital 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; Nuala Dignam, Community Member special interest in the people with intellectual disabilities; Marie Price Bolger, Trustus; Fran Keyes, Tallaght Travellers, Primary Healthcare Programme; Jim Lawlor, South Dublin County Council Forum. Tallaght University Hospital Members: Carol Mullins (Patient Advocacy), Áine Lynch (Nursing), Amanda McCormack (Paediatrics) and Joanne Coffey (Communications).
