Craniofacial Updated

Noelle O’Mahony, Craniofacial Clinical Services Coordinator, RCN/RGN

Noelle joined the Craniofacial Team in August 2016. Prior to joining, Noelle held several positions within Temple Street’s Neurosurgical Department, as a CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist), a Clinical Trial Research Nurse and also a Staff Nurse for six years on St Gabriel’s Ward. Noelle’s role within the Craniofacial Team is to coordinate and manage the team approach to each child’s care. Noelle is the first point of contact for new referrals.

Noelle liases with the Craniofacial Team, multidisciplinary team members and community based services and is available to parents to support them during their child’s care pathway. There are various components to this role which include ensuring timely treatment and care, facilitating clinics and providing team support for on-going audit and research.

Katie Geraghty , Craniofacial Nurse Specialist

Katie joined the craniofacial team in July 2023. Katie has worked in Temple Street since 2014 following her BSc. in Children’s and General Nursing at Dublin City University. Prior to her current role she worked as Clinical Nurse Manager 2 of St Gabriel’s neurosurgical and craniofacial ward, where she provided clinical leadership to the nursing team to ensure the provision of high quality nursing care to children and families before and after surgery.

Katie’s role within the multidisciplinary craniofacial team is to lead and deliver specialist nursing care to inpatients and outpatients of the service. Katie meets all children and their families at their first clinic appointment and provides nurse led review at the craniofacial pre-operative assessment clinic.  Katie provides email and telephone support to families before and after craniofacial surgery.

Other responsibilities include referrals to other members of the craniofacial multidisciplinary team, support and training of nursing staff, collaboration with other craniofacial nurse specialists across Europe, and participation in audit and research.

Linda Comey, Craniofacial Administrator

Linda Comey started in Temple Street Hospital in 2000 as part of the Medical Records team, after a year Linda became a ward clerk in the neonatal baby unit.

She then joined the Cleft & Craniofacial department in 2003, at this stage Linda also commenced and achieved a Diploma in Health Care Management.

Along with her role in the Craniofacial department Linda is also the Administrative lead to a team of Medical secretaries within The Plastic Surgery and Cleft Department.

Linda also manages the day to day running of the office of the National Paediatric Craniofacial Centre (NPCC).

Shirley Bracken, Craniofacial Projects Manager, RCN/RGN

Shirley moved into the role of Craniofacial Research Assistant in November 2018. Before this Shirley was the Craniofacial Nurse Specialist for 7 years. Shirley previously worked in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit in CHI at Temple Street as a children’s nurse for four years and has a background in adult neuroscience nursing.

Shirley is responsible for facilitating, supporting and coordinating all research projects within the National Paediatric Craniofacial Centre (NPCC). All research carried out within the NPCC is discussed at the monthly Craniofacial Research Group (CRG) meeting. The CRG consists of the craniofacial team members, trainee doctors & dentists, medical students and other colleagues from both CHI at Temple Street and the team from the Tissue Engineering Research Group (TERG) at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI).

Shirley safeguards patient and families’ information and ensures that all the necessary documentation is completed and sent to the Research Department who approve the craniofacial team to carry out research. Shirley also supports CRG members as they write information leaflets and consent forms for patients and families who agree to become involved in research. You will meet Shirley at the various craniofacial clinics in CHI at Temple Street, St James Hospital and at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital as she invites patients and families to get involved in research studies. If you are a patient or family member who would like to get involved in research please contact Shirley on research@craniofacial.ie

Paul Coffey, Clinical Photographer

Paul Coffey, a native of Dublin, studied at Dublin City University, Coláiste Dhúlaigh, Dun Laoghaire IADT and Ulster University before joining the Temple Street Children’s University Hospital team in 2015 as their Clinical Photographer.

With a background in Photography, Quality Assurance and Archiving and more than a decade spent working with children as a craft and photography tutor, Paul uses his passions and experience to deliver a high quality Clinical Photography service to the Craniofacial Team.

Dr Katerina Papadopoulou, Senior Counselling Psychologist

Katerina joined the craniofacial team in December 2022. Katerina studied Psychology in Greece and in Netherlands and completed the Doctorate in Counselling Psychology in Trinity College Dublin in 2018.  She has since worked in different family, children and adult community and hospital services in Ireland.

Katerina’s role within the multidisciplinary craniofacial team is to provide psychological support to both patients and their families, as inpatients and outpatients. This specialized support is focused on having a craniofacial condition. She offers individual, joint and group appointments remotely or in person. Katerina works in both cleft and craniofacial teams in CHI and is particularly interested in facial difference, wellbeing and quality of life.

Other activities include referrals to community services if necessary, liaising with colleagues in other specialized centres across the world, patient advocacy and empowerment and participation in audit and research.