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The growing commitment to quality improvement in our healthcare system was clearly on show with submissions to the NOCA Quality Improvement Champion Award 2026, which attracted an impressive array of submissions showcasing innovation and collaboration. Six shortlisted projects were invited to present at the NOCA Annual Conference 2026, held in association with RCSI Charter Week on the 10th February 2026.
In addition to the NOCA Quality Improvement Champion Award, we were equally encouraged by the diversity of abstract submissions, reflecting the broad spectrum of knowledge and experiences within our healthcare community. There were 90 abstract submissions received for the NOCA Poster Competition, with 57 on display at the event, and 33 available to view as e-posters.
NOCA Quality Improvement Champion Award 2026
Out of 24 submissions received, six were invited by the Evaluation Committee to present their projects at the NOCA Annual Conference 2026.
The six projects were:
Rebreathing new life into oxygen therapy Presented by Carol Doherty
Improving Sepsis Management in the Emergency Department, Louth Hospitals – An Organisational Quality Improvement Initiative - Presented by Princy Kuriak
Reducing Unnecessary SCBU Admissions Through a Midwifery-Centred Transitional Care Observation Pathway for Term and Near-Term Infants with Mild Respiratory Distress in a Level 1 Maternity Hospital - Presented by Dr Muhammad Sikandar Tahir
Probing for Change: Making Emergency Care Greener - Presented by Kayla Murphy
Audit of additional Cone beam imaging in pelvic radiotherapy and QIP to use Pelvic floor exercises to reduce improving efficiency, safety and patient experience on treatment - Presented by Edel O'Toole
Time is Brain: Reducing time to CT for Acute Stroke Patients in Cork University Hospital - Presented by Karena Hayes
Once all projects had been presented, the audience were invited to vote for their favourite project using an online, interactive poll.
The winner of the NOCA Quality Improvement Champion Award 2026 was ‘Probing for Change: Making Emergency Care Greener’, from Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin, presented by Kayla Murphy, CNM2, Clinical Operations Manager. The project addressed the widespread use of single-use oxygen saturation probes in the Emergency Department despite the availability of safe, reusable alternatives. Through a structured audit cycle, phased implementation, staff engagement and transparent feedback, the team achieved a reduction in disposable probe usage from 96% of attendances at baseline to 29%.
2nd Prize went to Reducing Unnecessary SCBU Admissions Through a Midwifery-Centred Transitional Care Observation Pathway for Term and Near-Term Infants with Mild Respiratory Distress in a Level 1 Maternity Hospital, presented by Dr Muhammad Sikandar Tahir from Mayo University Hospital.
3rd Prize was awarded to Time is Brain: Reducing time to CT for Acute Stroke Patients in Cork University Hospital, presented by Karena Hayes from Cork University Hospital.
NOCA Poster Competition 2026
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Of the 57 posters presented at the event, three were shortlisted. The winner of the NOCA Poster Competition 2026 was ‘Irish National ICU Audit: From Measurement to Meaningful Change; Multiple Audit Cycles in the ICU’ – presented to Roseanne Smith, ICU Audit Coordinator/Clinical Audit Facilitator on behalf of the team in Regional Hospital Mullingar.
Identified as a statistical outlier for out-of-hours ICU discharges by the Irish National ICU Audit, the team used a combined SMART aim, multidisciplinary review, driver diagram and repeated audit cycles to deliver measurable improvement. The project resulted in a reduction in out-of-hours discharges from 11 cases in Q4 2024 to 5 in Q3 2025, demonstrating how audit data can drive focused, practical change in patient flow and safety.
The two highly commended posters were:
One Team, One Goal: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Reducing Pressure Injury Incidence by 50% Hospital-Wide in 2025 - authors Aoife O'Brien, Lissy Martin, Yvonne Ryan from Beaumont Hospital.
Advancing Clinical Audit in Children’s Health Ireland - authors Omveer Baghel, Claire Collins, Rob Cunney, Allan Goldman from Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin.
There were also 33 posters displayed as online posters which can be viewed here.
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