Community Dietetic Department wins HSE National Achievement Award

The HSE National Achievement Awards 2008 were awarded today in the Mansion House, Dublin. These national awards follow four HSE Area finals and were awarded to staff for initiatives that are delivering better health services. The awards are sponsored by the Health Services National Partnership Forum. 

The CEO of the HSE, Professor Brendan Drumm, and Minister of State, Pat the Cope Gallagher TD, Department of Health & Children presented awards. Ms Mary Davis, Chief Executive of Special Olympics Ireland, also spoke at the event. 

The overall award winner was the Community Nutrition & Dietetic Service, Health Promotion Department, HSE South. The service in Cork developed an education programme for people with Type 2 diabetes with a result that 90% of participating patients felt they had became healthier during the programme. 

Professor Brendan Drumm emphasized – 

“Today is a really important day for staff working in the HSE and the hundreds of agencies funded by the HSE. 

“The outstanding results being showcased here today in terms making access easier, delivering better quality care and making our resources go further are being mirrored right around the country. 

“It is a day for us to recognise examples of the outstanding work that is being done by staff. 

“It is a chance to tell people that their contribution is very important and greatly appreciated. 

“It is a chance to highlight just some of the possibilities when people work together to focus their energies on solutions rather than problems. 

“It is also a chance to encourage staff to intensify their commitment to modernising our health service and when the going gets difficult to stay focused on what we are all here to do.” 

The national winners are as follows: 
Category - BETTER SERVICE AWARDS 
Reconfiguration, major changes to existing approaches 

Community Nutrition & Dietetic Service, Health Promotion Department, HSE South - The X-PERT programme in Ireland. 

This education programme was developed in line with international best practice for people with Type 2 diabetes. It was piloted in Charleville, Mallow and Skibbereen with 48 patients to give them access to a qualified dietician and education programme on healthy lifestyles. As a result of the programme, there was no increase in patients’ prescribed diabetes medication during the programme; consumption of fruit almost doubled from 33% to 63% and there was an average weight reduction of 2.5kgs. Every patient felt the use of personal health results, time spent on planning lifestyle changes and the availability of education sessions was important in managing their diabetes. Nine out of 10 patients felt they became healthier during the programme.