Dr. Katharine Schulmann

Summary

Funded through a Health Service Executive Research Award, the NPCAVI study explores stakeholders" needs for an atlas of variation, a data visualisation tool, dedicated to mapping aspects of palliative care in Ireland, with the ultimate aim of reducing inequalities in access to services. The project"s main objectives are to identify and learn from excellent examples of Atlases of Variation in use in other countries, to map current data availability and priorities for data infrastructure in the area of palliative and end of life care in Ireland moving forward, and to formulate recommendations to support development and implementation of the Atlas of Variation for Palliative and End of Life Care in Ireland. The research project takes a multi-method qualitative approach and unfolds over three core strands of work: 1) A cross-country comparative review of excellent examples of Atlas of Palliative and End of Life Care development and implementation from across a select range of countries. 2) Building on learnings from the review of the international literature, a mapping exercise to establish data availability in Ireland relevant to a future Atlas. 3) Semi-structured stakeholder interviews to identify priorities and issues of feasibility for development of an Atlas of Variation for Ireland. Stakeholders recruited for interviews include individuals with expertise in the planning and provision of palliative care services, and with expertise in health and social care data infrastructure more generally. The Lead Knowledge User for this Research Award is Dr Paul Kavanagh, Specialist in Public Health Medicine with the HSE"s National Health Intelligence Unit.

Funding Agency

Health Service Executive

Summary

All over the world, health systems are responding to the major shock of the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus is causing urgent and fast-paced change in the delivery of health and social care as well as highlighting pre-existing deficiencies and inequalities in the health system and broader society. In Ireland, COVID-19 is occurring during the second full year of Sláintecare's implementation - Ireland's 10-year plan for health reform to deliver universal access to timely, integrated care. This research will coproduce a Living Implementation Framework with Evaluation (LIFE) linking evidence, policy and practice that feeds into real-world Sláintecare implementation. In partnership with senior leadership in the Sláintecare Programme Implementation Office, the Department of Health and the HSE, the researchers will scope, document, measure and analyse the Sláintecare relevant COVID-19 responses using qualitative and quantitative methods. The LIFE will initially take the form of a live spreadsheet which contains the COVID-19 responses most relevant to Sláintecare. For each response, 3-4 indicators will be collected which enables monitoring overtime. The spreadsheet will be accompanied by a series of rapid reviews, narrative descriptions of multiple case studies, research papers, stakeholder engagement and formative feedback. These collectively make up the 'LIFE', informing dialogue with the project partners, which is happening in real time (living), influencing health policy and system decision-making and implementation as the project progresses. The LIFE will inform health system reform in Ireland in the months and years after the emergence of COVID-19 as well as contributing to international health systems and policy research.

Funding Agency

Health Research Board