Partnerships and progress in paediatrics: Spring Conference 2026
The Faculty of Paediatrics Spring Conference took place on Friday, 8 May at No. 6 Kildare Street. With an impressive line-up of speakers to explore the conference theme 'Partnerships in Paediatrics and Neonatology', it is little surprise it was a full house, with an additional 144 doctors joining the live stream.
Clinicians, researchers, and policy leaders came together with a singular focus - to improve outcomes for children through shared knowledge and coordinated, equitable care.
Opening the conference, Dr Judith Meehan, Dean of the RCPI Faculty of Paediatrics, highlighted the enduring need for the clinical voice in advocating for the rights of the patient and their families.
“The geopolitical situation globally has never been more uncertain, and children around the world are experiencing conflict, displacement, poverty, and inequality. Our role as advocates for the rights of children remains critical,” Dr Meehan said.
The day opened with clinical pearls providing a series of updates from common to complex presentations in clinical practice.
Topics included the management of abnormal liver blood tests in children, presented by Dr Emer Fitzpatrick; the distinction between benign cranial conditions and more serious diagnoses, explored by Professor Dylan Murray; and the opportunities and risks associated with genetic testing, addressed by Professor Sally Ann Lynch.
The session also examined the broader determinants of child health. Professor Norah Campbell discussed the impact of consumer industries on children’s behaviours and health outcomes and the changes required to subvert that influence.
She drew attention to the 7,400 deaths in the WHO European region every day caused by four corporate products - cigarettes and tobacco, alcohol, ultra-processed food, and fuel, causing air pollution. She argues that we should focus less on policies that address overconsumption and focus efforts on tackling the overproduction of these harmful products.
Professor Campbell encouraged participants to “start to ask difficult questions of our policy makers and institutions…for example, what has the cost of not expanding the sugar, sweet and drinks tax been in terms of the numbers of children with childhood obesity or fatty liver disease?”
“These are the sorts of questions where we are creating an industrial epidemiology, asking the questions about commercial strategy and the end impact on the people around us,” Professor Campbell said.
Niall Muldoon, Ombudsman for Children, discussed national efforts to advance equitable care for children and young people. He highlighted the importance of the voice of the child in defining the issues and solutions that impact children and young people directly.
“We couldn’t do what we do, in fact, we wouldn’t do what we do, without our regular consultations with children and young people.”
Using case study examples, Mr Muldoon highlighted the need for systemic improvements in healthcare and the critical role of paediatricians and other healthcare workers in prioritising the rights of the child so that those rights are embedded in our thinking and decision-making at all levels.
“I have no hesitation in calling each one of you a child’s rights defender on the ground. Eleanor Roosevelt said that children’s rights are no rights unless they are rights in the places where children live, and that’s where you are, you’re in their lives, you’re making a difference every day to their rights.”
Dr Colm Henry, HSE Chief Clinical Officer, explored the role of the RCPI-HSE National Clinical Programmes in paediatrics in improving consistency and quality of care across the country.
He described the clinical programmes as critical in providing a voice for clinicians to input into how care is delivered.
“Since inception, the National Clinical Programmes have significantly enhanced the healthcare landscape by prioritising clinical leadership in decision-making, developing integrated models of care, and promoting evidence-based practices to standardise care and improve outcomes.”
He highlighted the critical role of collaboration across services to strengthen outcomes and ensure that care is both safe and equitable.
A dedicated neonatology session was held in memory of the late Professor Tony Ryan, acknowledging his immense contribution to neonatology nationally and globally. Dr John McKiernan, past Dean of the Faculty of Paediatrics, paid tribute to his close colleague, sharing anecdotes and accomplishments from decades at the forefront of neonatology research and care. Professor Ryan’s children were presented with a posthumous award honouring their father’s legacy, which was met with a standing ovation from a room of clinicians and friends.
The neonatology session underscored the central role of research in improving long-term outcomes for infants and children. Speakers, including Professor Chris Gale, Professor Paul Fleming, and Dr Sarah E Seaton, highlighted the value of large-scale randomised trials and cross-institutional collaboration in advancing neonatal medicine.
There was a firm focus on prioritising neonatal research and leveraging data to improve outcomes for children and their families.
The final session explored emerging developments in paediatric dermatology, with practical guidance for clinicians on diagnosis and referral pathways.
Dr Alan Irvine presented new treatments for atopic dermatitis, and Dr Karina Forde discussed the management of infantile haemangiomas, reflecting ongoing advancements in therapeutic options and specialist care.
In closing, Dr Meehan celebrated the role of partnership and collaboration, across disciplines, institutions, and healthcare systems, in delivering high-quality care for children.
“Thank you to all our speakers and panellists, and to each of you for joining us, in-person and online, for our Annual Spring Conference," Dr Meehan said.
“Each conference offers an opportunity to learn something new. These insights I take back into my own work in research and patient care. That is the enduring value of coming together: the sharing of experience and perspective that helps shape the future of child health in Ireland.”
From clinical decision-making to national policy and research innovation, the event emphasised that collaboration is essential to addressing the complex challenges facing paediatric healthcare.