Launch of Healthy Ireland Implementation Plan across CHI hospitals

Children’s Health Ireland, along with Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, TD, today launched it’s Healthy Ireland Implementation Plan 2022-2025. In support of the Healthy Ireland vision “where everyone can enjoy physical and mental health and wellbeing to their full potential and where wellbeing is valued and supported at every level in society” Children’s Health Ireland will encourage and support its staff, patients and families to lead healthy lives.

The ambitious document outlines CHI’s commitment to the implementation of the plan and aligns with Children’s Health Ireland’s strategic objectives in its Statement of Strategy (2021-2025) including Valuing Staff and fostering a culture in CHI in line with its values. By creating a supportive, wellbeing focused working environment, staff will be empowered to take personal responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. This in turn will support patients and families with the quality of care they are provided.

The Healthy Ireland Implementation Plan for CHI includes initiatives like the Flu Campaign, Schwartz Rounds, Garden Spaces and Tobacco Cessation schemes.

Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, TD said; “I am delighted to launch the Healthy Ireland Implementation Plan for Children’s Health Ireland.  The Plan is clear recognition of the need to help healthcare staff meet the demands on their own wellbeing, while also caring for others. It will help us to realise our vision for a Healthy Ireland, where everyone can enjoy physical and mental health and wellbeing to their full potential, where wellbeing is valued and supported at every level of society and is everyone’s responsibility.”

Chief Executive, Children’s Health Ireland, Eilísh Hardiman said; “While our operational priority in Children’s Health Ireland is to provide timely access to quality care for children and adolescents, we must support both the people delivering these services and patients to look after their own health and wellbeing while with us. It’s especially important that children be given the tools to make healthy choices so they lead healthier lives. Our staff have shown unrivalled dedication to our patients in the last two years particularly. We need to look after our wellbeing, both physical and mental, and this should be facilitated in the workplace where we spend so much of our time. This plan is part our commitment to look after our staff into the future, and to ensure Children’s Health Ireland is a great place to work.”

The CHI Healthy Ireland Implementation Plan is a key deliverable to support the achievement of the goals of the Healthy Ireland Framework. In 2013 the HSE launched its first Healthy Ireland in the Health Services Implementation Plan. Since then CHOs and Hospital Groups have launched their Healthy Ireland Implementation Plans. The implementation of these Healthy Ireland plans is creating a shift in health mind-sets to one of prevention, early intervention and health promotion across the population in Ireland.

See the plan here.