The key themes for the conference were around the importance of transparency and transformation and using data to systematically improve healthcare for our patients. This central theme of patient-centred care was reflected in the presentations throughout the day.

Dr Sarah Hare, National Clinical Lead for the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit (NELA) in the UK, noted during her keynote speech that

every dot of data collected in an audit represents a patient

Dr Brian Creedon, Clinical Lead for the National Audit of Hospital Mortality (NAHM) spoke to the 2016 Annual Report and commented that

every investigation should start with data and end with individuals

Mr Peter Clarke, an Organisational Psychologist by background, spoke to his inspirational patient story as a cancer survivor and the multidisciplinary approach to his care. He mused that

Haematologists are to Oncologists as Actuaries are to Accountants

Dr Conor Deasy, National Clinical Lead for Major Trauma Audit (MTA), launched the MTA National Report 2016. He stressed the importance of getting major trauma patients to the right hospital, at the right time, seen by the right people and the need for change in how our trauma services are configured.

The NOCA Quality Improvement Champion Award top three submissions were given the opportunity to present their local quality improvement initiatives. In her closing address, Ms Collette Tully, NOCA Executive Director, presented the overall NOCA Quality Improvement Champion Award 2018 to a project from St James’s Hospital and Cork University Hospital. Projects from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and Mercy University Hospital were awarded ‘Highly Commended’.

NOCA also welcomed a number of exhibitors from across different areas of healthcare – the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), the Healthcare Pricing Office (HPO), the National Health Library & Knowledge Service, the National Perinatal Epidemiology Service (NPEC), the HSE Office of the Nursing & Midwifery Services Director (ONMSD), the RCPI Quality Improvement Programmes, Sage – Support & Advocacy Service and the Trauma Audit & Research Network (TARN).

To view the presentations from the NOCA National Conference 2018, please click on the presentation titles below:

Speaker Topic Dr Philip Crowley, National Director, HSE Quality Improvement Division Creating a Quality Improvement Culture Dr Sarah Hare, National Clinical Lead, National Emergency Laparotomy Audit KEYNOTE: The National Emergency Laparotomy Audit (NELA) Dr Brian Creedon, National Clinical Lead, National Audit of Hospital Mortality National Audit of Hospital Mortality Annual Report 2016 Dr Brian McCullagh, Consultant Respiratory & General Physician Mater, Misericordiae University Hospital An Audit of Respiratory Related Mortality – Statistics or Lies? Ms Susan Mitchell, Health Editor, Sunday Business Post Letting the Light In: The Value of Public Reporting and Transparency Ms Joanne Matthews, Head of Improvement and Safety, Improvement Hub (ihub) Healthcare Improvement Scotland KEYNOTE: The Improvers Best Friend…Data Dr Conor Deasy, National Clinical Lead, Major Trauma Audit LAUNCH: Major Trauma Audit (MTA) National Report 2016 Ms Eilísh Hardiman, Group CEO, National Children’s Hospital Group It’s Not Just The Bricks That Will Make The Difference Dr Brian Marsh, Clinical Director – Directorate of Critical Care, Anaesthesia, Elective Surgery & Theatres, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital Three Years of ICU Audit – What We Know Now Ms Dorothy Hosein, Former CEO, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust KEYNOTE: Leadership and Information: The Keys to Success for Improving Care at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn Prof Sean Tierney, Dean of Professional Development and Practice, RCSI Call of Duty: Clinical Audit Dr Peter McKenna, Clinical Director, National Women and Infants’ Health Programme The Romans Had It Right