UL Hospitals Group: Patient Council

The Patient Council advises hospital management on ways to improve hospital services. Council members inform and contribute to our efforts in providing patient-centred healthcare service.

The Patient Council is made up of both members of the public and UL Hospitals Group staff members. It was set up in 2016. The council are active partners in our hospitals. They provide a strong, independent voice for patients, service users and their families.

Volunteers are currently being sought to join the Patient Council. See note below for information.

Work of the Patient Council

The Patient Council is involved in committees and projects within our hospital group. These projects included work on planning our new Emergency Department and recently completed inpatient accommodation such as the 60-bed block at University Hospital Limerick.

Members of the Council take part in various committees. These include:

• end-of-life care
• nutrition and hydration
• directional signage
• patient flow
• developing improvement plans in response to the National Patient Experience Survey.

Council members

Patient Council members are:

• Melody Buckley, Public Member
• Janice Cahill, Business Manager, Diagnostics Directorate, UL Hospitals Group
• Pauline Callaghan, Public Member
• Joe Cassidy, Operational Director of Nursing, Ennis Hospital
• Majella Corkery, Director of Nursing, Medicine Directorate, UL Hospitals Group
• Mike Dwane, Media and Public Affairs Manager, UL Hospitals Group
• Anne Fitzgibbon, Public Member
• John Hannafin (chair), Public Member
• Brian Kelly, Public Member
• Marie Killowry, Public Member
• Prof Brian Lenehan, Chief Clinical Director, UL Hospitals Group
• Declan McNamara,(vice-chair) Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery, UL Hospitals Group
• Allen Moran, PALS Manager, UL Hospitals Group
• Bernadette Moore, Public Member
• Camilla O’Donoghue, Public Member
• Virginia O’Dowd, Public Member
• Alan O’Gorman, Operational Director of Nursing, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital
• Angela O’Sullivan, Site Administrator, Nenagh Hospital
• Cathrina Ryan, Operational Director of Nursing, Nenagh Hospital
• Judy Ryan, Public Member
• Michael Ryan, Public Member
• William Shire, General Manager, Medicine Directorate, UL Hospitals Group
• Mary Wycherley, Public Member

Join the Patient Council:

December 5, 2023: Volunteers are currently being sought to join the Patient Council.

If you are interested in becoming part of the Council, please send your expression of interest to PALS Managers Office, University Hospital Limerick, St Nessan’s Road, Dooradoyle, Limerick V94 F858 or via email at uhlpals@hse.ie

Applicants will be invited for interview early in 2024 and successful candidates will have Garda vetting and reference checks before being invited to join the Patient Council. The Patient Council meets every six to eight weeks and we estimate that a time commitment of approximately two hours per month would be required. Meetings are held in Limerick, Ennis, Nenagh and Croom. Members are entitled to travel/out-of-pocket expenses.

For more information contact Allen Moran, or Liz Barry, Patient Advocacy Liaison Managers via email at uhlpals@hse.ie or phone 061 727185 or 061 485259. Applications are open until Friday, December 22nd 2023.