The health of thousands of people who live on island communities along the Western seaboard will be improved by a new digital health programme - the All-Islands Health Virtual Care Programme - launched recently.
The HSE, in partnership with the University of Galway’s Health Innovation via Engineering (HIVE) Lab, announced the national launch of the All-Islands Health Virtual Care roadmap delivery programmes - a new service designed to ensure equitable, reliable access to healthcare for residents across Ireland’s twelve offshore islands.
The islands are Tory, Arranmore, Clare Island, Inishturk, Inishbofin, Inishmore, Inish Meáin, Inis Oirr, Sherkin, Cape Clear, Bere and Whiddy. The programme will provide remote access to GP-led primary care services, specialist hospital consultations, chronic disease management, and specialist gerontological care - directly from each island’s health centre.
This programme originally started as the Clare Island Home Health project, which was supported by CURAM Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices to embed telemedicine in clinical pathways on Inishturk, Inishbofin, and Clare Island. Building on the success of the Clare Island Home Health initiative, the project then progressed into the Department of Health Sláintecare Integration and Innovation Fund (SIIF) R2 as the Na hOileáin Sláintiúla (Healthy Islands) pilot project. This project then demonstrated the operational and clinical effectiveness of virtual care and telemedicine for island communities. This latest initiative marks the first full-scale deployment of a virtual healthcare network across all island communities, from Tory Island to Whiddy.
Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, said
“The extension of virtual care to all twelve offshore islands will ensure residents receive care as close to their homes as possible, strengthening equity of access and advancing our commitment to a health service that delivers consistent, high-quality care regardless of geography."
Speaking at the launch, Damien McCallion, HSE Chief Technology and Transformation Officer and Deputy CEO, said:
“Ireland’s offshore islands are home to 2,700 residents, with 23% aged 65 or older. Many islands face weather‑dependent transport links that routinely disrupt access to essential healthcare. The All-Islands Health Virtual Care programme directly responds to the persistent access challenges, ensures the right care, in the right place across our islands.”
Professor Derek O'Keeffe, Established Professor of Medical Device Technology, University of Galway and Consultant Physician (Endocrinologist), Galway University Hospitals, said:
“The All Islands Health project represents the best of translational research. A clinical problem was identified and through academic study, innovation and multistakeholder engagement is now scaling to a national healthcare solution, which will directly improve patient care.”
The Healthy Islands pilot on Clare Island, Inishturk and Inishbofin has enabled safe, effective virtual GP consultations. Specialist outpatient appointments are being delivered remotely; reduced emergency medical transfers are being achieved; positive patient and clinician satisfaction has been achieved and seamless integration into routine clinical pathways is occurring.
Over the course of the next two years, this programme will enable universal digital health infrastructure across all 12 offshore islands. It will also lead to virtual GP clinics and provide remote outpatient and specialist reviews, including cardiology, respiratory, hypertension and specialist gerontological care assessments. It will ensure integration of chronic disease management programmes and allow for remote patient monitoring, supporting safer, proactive care and structured clinical pathways.
This development is in line with the HSE Corporate Plan under the stated priority of improving equity of access to services for all communities including those who live on the islands.