Faculty of Public Health Medicine addresses emerging challenges at Summer Scientific Meeting
The key challenges and strategies needed for navigating the evolving landscape of public health took centre stage at the Faculty of Public Health Medicine Summer Scientific Meeting.
Over two days, 20 and 21 May 2025, public health experts gathered both in-person at No. 6 Kildare Street and online to explore these pressing challenges, gain international perspectives and examine the strategies needed for a robust, future-ready public health system.
Speaking at the meeting, Professor Cecily Kelleher, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine at RCPI, said: “The public health landscape of the future has to evolve and look different if we are to be truly ready to meet the growing and complex challenges ahead.”
Professor Paul M Kelly, Former Australian Government Chief Medical Officer, echoed this need for transformation in his keynote address on Global Challenges and Future Public Health Preparedness. “The future of public health will be different than the past, presenting both challenges and opportunities for all of us to engage. Amid these challenges, there are opportunities to influence and be part of the new architecture of global health.”
Prof Kelly, who was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of RCPI following a nomination by the Faculty of Public Health Medicine, reflected on his role and contributions as Chief Medical Officer of Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the lessons learned that will shape our preparedness and approach to future pandemics.
“Pandemics, like we saw with COVID-19, infiltrate all of society such as travel and hospitality, arts, entertainment and retail. They are more than a healthcare sector issue. For effective future preparedness, we need to ensure pandemic plans are regularly exercised and updated, we have effective measures and countermeasures in place, we strengthen infrastructure, make the most of new tools coming on stream and work together globally because in the end none of us is safe unless all of us are safe.”
Prof Kelly welcomed the news that member states of the World Health Organisation had adopted a global pandemic agreement saying: “this landmark accord will set us up to do marvelous work together.”
Dr John Cuddihy, HSE National Director for Public Health, and Dr Louise Hendrick, Project Lead for the HSE Public Health Strategy (2025- 2030) provided an update on the new public health strategy which builds upon a series of recommendations and reports. The strategy aims to deliver better health and wellbeing for all people in Ireland. Dr Cuddihy highlighted that the strategy offers “an enormous opportunity for Ireland to be a leader in improving population health and protecting health.”
On the second day of the meeting, Dr Niall Conroy, continued the focus on health protection with a talk on VTEC. He provided an important update on the link between various virulence factors and the risk of HUS, as well as share the latest global data on the use of antibiotics to prevent chronic shedding.
The two-day event also featured both short and long oral presentations on key topics in public health, future trends, data analysis, service improvements, and emerging technologies. These presentations were chosen through a competitive scientific abstract submission process. Attendees had the opportunity to take part in the popular live poster tour, which showcased 36 posters with authors presenting their work and engaging with the audience's questions.
Winners
Poster:
1st place: Michael Hanrahan Utility of Ireland’s lobbying register for surveillance of the commercial determinants of health
2nd place: Domhnall McGlacken Byrne - Unveiling disparities – overrepresentation of Roma among measles cases in regional Irish data
3rd place: Emma Kearney - An analysis of factors associated with attendance at University Hospital Limerick Emergency Department and socioeconomic position
Short orals
1st place: Catherine Darker - Health assets and needs assessment (HANA) in Tallaght 2024
2nd place: Ciara Carroll - The artificial reviewer: evaluating artificial intelligence and clinical approaches to policy synthesis for healthy aging.
3rd place: Heather Hegarty - What’s in a database – findings from a study of emergency department (ED) admissions across two acute hospital sites and the case for standardisation.
Long orals:
1st place: Michael Hanrahan - Unveiling non-demographic factors on Irish emergency department activity, 2015-2024
2nd place: Fionn Donnelly - Adolescence in the digital age: the impact of smartphone and social media use on a cohort of Irish teenagers
3rd place: Margaret Brennan - Evolution of nicotine produce use in the Republic of Ireland 2015-2023, and its associations with quit intentions and attempts: an analysis of nationally representative repeated cross-sectional surveys
In her closing remarks, Professor Kelleher said the meeting highlighted the “urgency of translating public health challenges into policy and practice.” She thanked speakers and attendees for their time and contributions which made the event both insightful and engaging.
The Faculty of Public Health Medicine Summer Scientific Meeting hosted a special ceremony to welcome Professor Paul Kelly as RCPI’s newest honorary fellow, alongside new fellows, associate members, CSCST recipients and medal winners.
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