Building Connections and Embracing Change: Community Health Team Day 2025

The Technology and Transformation (TT) Community Health Team gathered for their first in-person meeting of 2025 at the Midlands Park Hotel. Colleagues reconnected over tea and coffee before the day’s agenda commenced, setting the tone for an engaging and collaborative session.

Mary Cooke , ICT Delivery Director for Community Health, welcomed the team, followed by an interactive icebreaker led by Project Manager Ciara O Shea , encouraging participation and teamwork from the outset.

Mary then shared a high-level presentation on key HSE Technology and Transformation initiatives, including Digital for Care, and introduced new team members. Following her briefing, Ciara facilitated a structured discussion using the ‘Stop, Start, Continue’ method. Each table contributed ideas for improvements, using red, green, and orange circles to represent actions to stop, start, and continue. The most impactful suggestions will inform process enhancements across Community Health in the months ahead.

Next, the team took part in a dynamic exercise, ‘Multi-Team Building Drawers,’ which tested strategy, leadership, and communication skills. Participants collaborated on drawings, later displayed around the room as a temporary exhibition of teamwork in action.

The afternoon session featured Programme Stands, a format first introduced at last year’s team meeting. Each programme split into two groups one presenting, the other networking with colleagues to exchange knowledge and insights. After thirty minutes, the roles switched. The team was also joined by special guest Fran Thompson , HSE Chief Information Officer, who engaged with the stands and asked insightful questions.

As the day concluded, Mary Cooke led a heartfelt tribute to Pat O’Driscoll, Primary Care Programme Manager, who will retire in February after an esteemed career in the Health Service Executive . The team reflected on Pat’s invaluable contributions, particularly in Kerry, his home county of Cork, and nationally. His leadership, dedication, and sense of humour have left a lasting impact on colleagues across the organisation.

Fran Thompson echoed these sentiments, expressing gratitude for Pat’s years of service and celebrating his well-earned retirement. In his closing remarks, Pat shared reflections on how far the HSE has evolved over his career, recalling a time when floppy disks were actually floppy and hospitals operated on systems with only half a gigabyte of RAM. He expressed confidence in the future of the organisation and the Community Health Team, wishing everyone continued success.

With that, Pat sliced into a golf-themed cake, and the 2025 Community Health Staff Day came to a close; a fitting send-off for a respected leader and an energising start to the year ahead for the team.

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