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Dr. Carlos Bruen

Assistant Professor (Public Health & Primary Care)
3/4 FOSTER PLACE
      
Profile Photo

Dr. Carlos Bruen

Assistant Professor (Public Health & Primary Care)
3/4 FOSTER PLACE

 bruenc1@tcd.ie

 3531896 5021


I am an Assistant Professor in Health Policy and Public Health, and the Course Director of the MSc in Health Policy and Management, the flagship postgraduate programme run by the Centre for Health Policy and Management, based in the Discipline of Public Health and Primary Care in Trinity College Dublin. With more than 10 years of experience across a range of academic posts, I hold a PhD (Health Policy) and have experience of leading and collaborating on health policy and systems teaching, research and publications in Ireland and globally. Previously the Assistant Director for Academic Affairs on the SPHeRE Programme - an Irish structured PhD research programme in population health, policy and health services research funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) - I have also worked as a researcher on a number of national and international projects, including StrokeCog and the development of an Irish stroke audit; knowledge brokering for medical workforce planning; the FP6 Global Health Initiatives in Africa project, and the Global HIV/AIDS Initiatives Network (GHIN). During this time I was an invited member of the World Health Organisation Expert Consultation on Maximising Positive Synergies Between Health Systems and Global Health Initiatives. My research and teaching (including as module lead/co-lead at postgraduate and doctorate levels) focuses on different dimensions of health policy at national and international levels, including health policy and governance; comparative health systems and policy analysis; and knowledge translation and mobilisation for policy and practice. I am available for collaboration or doctoral supervision in these and related areas.
Project Title
 Evidence for Health Regions Implementation ( EHRI-TCDMEDSeed)
From
2024
To
2025
Summary
Ireland's health system is undergoing substantial structural reform through the implementation of new Health Regions. This TCD-MED Research Seed Award supports the building of a research programme aimed at driving significant improvements in health outcomes and equitable provision of services through the Regions. Crucially, it will combine international best practice with key national and regional stakeholder research priorities, ensuring the integration of research findings into current national health policy processes and priorities
Funding Agency
School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin
Programme
TCD Med Research-Seed Award
Project Title
 Review of the implementation of the 2001 report of the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care as it relates to Adult Palliative Care
From
Sep 2021
To
Feb 2022
Summary
This external review will address the terms of reference, which are: 1. To assess progress achieved to date in the implementation of the recommendations of the NACPC 2001 Report and the respective 2009 and 2017 HSE Palliative Care Service Development Frameworks. 2. To identify gaps in the implementation of the policy, including any barriers to progress, and how such issues could be addressed by the policy update. 3. To comment on the relevance of the recommendations in the 2001 Report in the current context. 4. To comment on whether the approach to service delivery in Ireland is cost effective having regard to existing international evidence on cost effective palliative care services. 5. To make recommendations, in light of the above, on priority areas that should be addressed in the policy update, including areas of evolving and emerging need, having regard to international developments as outlined in the International Evidence Brief conducted by the Health Research Board on behalf of the Department of Health. PI: Dr Bridget Johnston, TCD
Funding Agency
Department of Health, Government of Ireland
Project Type
Consultancy
Project Title
 Health Workforce Policy Dialogues & Knowledge Exchange Research Project
From
2017
To
2018
Summary
Proposal contributor and lead researcher on a study of policy dialogues as a brokering mechanism to inform medical workforce planning in Ireland. (PI: Prof Ruairi Brugha, RCSI)
Funding Agency
Health Research Board
Programme
Knowledge Exchange and Dissemination Scheme
Project Type
Research
Project Title
 Study Within a Trial - to test the effectiveness of using different communication methods for follow-up for the purpose of improving trial retention
From
2022
To
Summary
The Study Within a Trial (SWAT) will test the effectiveness of using different communication methods for follow-up for the purpose of improving trial retention. This SWAT is embedded in a larger project pilot testing a cognitive rehabilitation intervention aimed at improving/preventing further decline in cognitive function post-stroke. PI: Prof Anne Hickey (RCSI)
Funding Agency
HRB
Programme
Definitive Interventions and Feasibility Award (DIFA)
Project Type
Research
Project Title
 Global Health Initiatives & Accountability Project
From
2013
To
2013
Summary
Funding Agency
Aidspan, Kenya
Project Type
Research

Details Date
Article reviewer for journals that include: The BMJ; BMC Human Resources for Health; Frontiers in Public Health; Qualitative Studies in Psychology; Globalization & Health; International Journal of Health Policy and Management; Irish Studies in International Affairs; Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review; and Third World Quarterly.
Visiting Lecturer on the Clinical and Psychosocial Epidemiology Research Masters (Health Systems & Prevention stream) delivered by the University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Netherlands. 2020
Member of the consultancy team leading an evaluation of Ireland's 2001 national palliative care policy to inform a 2022 Department of Health update of this policy. 2021
Steering Group member, 'Applying a sanitation approach to the problem of Household Air Pollution in Malawi' Project (2020-2022). PI: Dr Debbi Stanistreet (RCSI) 2019
Workshop Rapporteur, Joint Research Council (JRC) "Strengthening and connecting eco-systems of science for policy in Europe" workshop series. 2020
Membership of and contributing to a commissioned literature review for the WHO Maximising Positive Synergies Collaborative Group Project. 2008
Distance Mentor, Emerging Voices for Health programme, Institute for Tropical Medicine, Antwerp/World Health Organisation 2011
Editorial Board member, Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review, 2007
Group facilitator, Irish consultative process for the World Humanitarian Summit, Istanbul 2016. 2015
Details Date From Date To
Cochrane 2019 present
Exploring Novel Assessment Approaches in Health Policy & Management Using genAI in, editor(s)Rooney P, Schalk AE, Crehan M, Fitzpatrick M, Gately L, Goff L, et al., editors. , Teaching, Learning and Assessment in Irish Universities, Dublin/Cork, Trinity College Dublin/University College Cork, 2025, [Carlos Bruen], Book Chapter, PUBLISHED
Parker, S, Schulmann, K, Bruen, C, Burke, S, Health System Reform in the Context of COVID-19: A Policy Brief Outlining Lessons from Ireland's Journey Towards the Goal of Universal Healthcare, BMC Global Health Research and Policy, 2025, Notes: [https://doi.org/10.1186/s41256-025-00407-z], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Catherine Nora Moran, Isabelle Jeffares, Joan McCormack, Niamh A. Merriman, Carlos Bruen, Agnes Jonsson, Paul J. Murphy, Khyber Afridi Rabbi, Joseph Harbison, David J Williams, Peter J. Kelly, Rónán Collins, Eithne Sexton, Frances Horgan, Máirín Ní Bheacáin, Elaine Byrne, John Thornton, Collette Tully, Anne Hickey, Development of a National Stroke Audit to Enhance the Quality of Acute Stroke Care in Ireland: A Scoping Review and Delphi Consensus Synthesis, BMJ Open, 2025, Journal Article, SUBMITTED
Schulmann K, Bruen C, Parker S, Siersbaek R, Conghail LM, Burke S, The role of governance in shaping health system reform: a case study of the design and implementation of new health regions in Ireland, BMC Health Services Research, 24, 2024, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Bruen C, Schulmann K, Parker S, Siersbaek R, Conghail LM., The role of governance in shaping health system reform: a case study of the design and implementation of new health regions in Ireland, 2018"2023, European Journal of Public Health, 17th European Public Health Conference 2024, Lisbon, Portugal, edited by Ricardo Mexia Sónia Dias Charlotte Marchandise , 34, (Supp. 3), 2024, Published Abstract, PUBLISHED
Bruen C, Schulmann K, Parker S, Siersbaek R, Conghail LM., A case study of the design and implementation of new health regions in Ireland, 2018"2023, European Journal of Public Healt, 17th European Public Health Conference 2024, Lisbon, Portugal, edited by Ricardo Mexia Sónia Dias Charlotte Marchandise , 34, (Supp 3), 2024, Published Abstract, PUBLISHED
Bruen C, Merriman NA, Murphy PJ, McCormack J, Sexton E, Harbison J, Williams D, Kelly PJ, Horgan F, Collins R, Ní Bhreacáin M, Byrne E, Thornton J, Hickey A, Development of a national stroke audit in Ireland: scoping review protocol, HRB Open Research, 2021, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Carlos Bruen, Ruairi Brugha, "We're not there to protect ourselves, we're there to talk about workforce planning": A qualitative study of policy dialogues as a mechanism to inform medical workforce planning, Health Policy, 124, (7), 2020, p736 - 742, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Niamh A Merriman, Carlos Bruen, Ashleigh Gorman, Frances Horgan, David J Williams, Niall Pender, Elaine Byrne, Anne Hickey, "I'm just not a Sudoku person": analysis of stroke survivor, carer, and healthcare professional perspectives for the design of a cognitive rehabilitation intervention, Disability and rehabilitation, 2020, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Hickey, Anne; Merriman, Niamh, A.; Bruen, Carlos; Mellon, Llsa; Bennett, Kathleen E; Williams, David J; Pender, Niall; Doyle, Frank, Psychological interventions for managing cognitive impairment after stroke (Protocol), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (8), 2020, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
  

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Global Health Governance and Accountability in, editor(s)Robin Haring, Ilona Kickbusch, Detlev Ganten, Matshidiso Moeti , Handbook of Global Health, Cham, Switzerland, Springer Nature Reference Works, 2025, [Carlos Bruen], Notes: [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-05325-3_126-1], Book Chapter, PUBLISHED
Bridget M. Johnston, Fódhla Ní Chéileachair, Sara Burke, Regina McQuillan, Peter May, Lucy Davis, Sarah Barry, Eimir Hurley, Steve Thomas, Charles Normand, Carlos Bruen, Review of the Implementation of the 2001 Report of the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care as it relates to Adult Palliative Care, Department of Health, Government of Ireland, February, 2022, Notes: [Information provided in this review is being used by the Department of Health to inform the update of Ireland's national palliative care policy. Report available from: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/3ab51e-palliative-care/], Report, APPROVED
Niamh A. Merriman, Carlos Bruen, Joan McCormack, Joseph Harbison, Eithne Sexton, David Williams, Peter J Kelly, Frances Horgan, Ronán Collins, Máirín Ní Bhreacáin, Elaine Byrne, John Thornton, Collette Tully, Anne Hickey, Maximising the quality of stroke care in Ireland - Development of a national stroke audit, European Stroke Journal;, European Stroke Organisation Conference, Helsinki, Finland/Online, 2021, 6, (suppl 1), 2021, Notes: [DOI: 10.1177/23969873211034932], Poster, PUBLISHED
Sexton E, Shumba J, Heaume F, Merriman N, Bruen C, Hickey A, Williams D, Bennett K, Prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in community-dwelling adults with stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Protocol: CRD42019141431), Prospero, 2019, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Understanding Global Health Policy in, editor(s)Garrett W. Brown; Gavin Yamey; Sarah Wamala , The Handbook of Global Health Policy, New York, John Wiley & Sons, 2014, pp19 - 45, [Ruairí Brugha, Carlos Bruen, Viroj Tangcharoensathien], Book Chapter, PUBLISHED
McCoy, David;, Bruen, Carlos; Hill, Peter, & Kerouedan, Dominique, The Global Fund: What Next for Aid Effectiveness and Health Systems Strengthening?, Nairobi, Kenya, Aidspan, 2012, Report, PUBLISHED
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation in, editor(s)Thomas Hale; David Held , Handbook of Transnational Governance: New Institutions and Innovations, London, John Wiley & Sons, 2011, pp384 - 394, [Andrew Harmer, Carlos Bruen], Book Chapter, PUBLISHED
Bruen, Carlos., Brugha, Ruairi, and Biesma, Regien, GHIs & National Health Systems: A Review Report for WHO-Harvard Maximizing Positive Synergies Research Group, RCSI, Dublin, 2009, Report, PUBLISHED