Caitriona is the HSE Innovation Lead for the Spark Innovation Programme, Innovation Programme Lead at Ireland South Women and Infant’s Directorate and Innovation Lead for FemTech at Health Innovation Hub Ireland. Prior to focussing her work in the healthcare innovation space, Caitriona worked for over 15 years as a Speech and Language Therapist in the UK and Ireland.
In her national and directorate roles, Caitriona’s remit is to drive innovation activity both at the front line and through commercialisation activity. Caitriona’s roles facilitate Frontline Innovation by providing funding, support and mentorship to the many ‘intrapreneurs’ and entrepreneurs working across the Irish healthcare system. Her role in FemTech at HIHI sees her working closely with start-ups, companies and entrepreneurs to bring new products and services addressing women’s health needs to market.
Caitriona is a graduate of both the Quality Improvement and Leadership Programme at Royal College of Physicians Ireland, the Post Graduate Diploma in Healthcare innovation at Trinity College Dublin and the Post Graduate Diploma in Innovation through Design Thinking at UCC. She draws heavily on the theories of QI and Innovation in her work. Caitriona has a special interest in Design and Design Thinking as an effective approach to healthcare service development and delivery and is dedicated to enacting the recently published ‘Design Principles for Government’ in Ireland. She is currently undertaking research exploring the barriers and enablers for healthcare staff who engage in innovation activity in the Irish healthcare system.