The National Haemophilia Council is a statutory body which was set up in 2001 following the recommendations of the Lindsay Tribunal.

Mission Statement

To advise and recommend on the optimum provision of treatment and care for persons with haemophilia and related bleeding disorders.

Vision

To set the international benchmark for the provision of effective advice and inclusive involvement in optimising the management of haemophilia.

The Council advises and makes recommendations to the Minister for Health, Department of Health and Health Service Executive on:

• The care and treatment of all persons with haemophilia
• Protocols for the treatment of haemophilia
• Health services for persons with haemophilia
• Education and training of staff who provide services for persons with haemophilia
• Education and health promotion for persons with haemophilia and their families
• The changing needs of people with haemophilia, in order to help ensure that health services respond effectively to such changing needs
• Developments arising from research into haemophilia
• Appropriate support services for families of people with haemophilia
• A quality management system, including audit of services for people with haemophilia

Members of the National Haemophilia Council (NHC) are appointed by the Minister for Health in accordance with Section 6 of the National Haemophilia Council (Establishment) Order, 2004 (SI No. 451 of 2004).

• One representative of haemophilia nursing, with an ongoing and specific involvement in the delivery of haemophilia care;
• One representative of health services management, to be nominated by the Health Board Executive, or other appropriate authority;
• One representative of the Department of Health and Children, to be nominated by the Minister;
• Two representatives of the Irish Haemophilia Society, to be nominated by the Society;
• The National Haemophilia Director.
• Consultant haematologist with responsibility for paediatric haemophilia at the National Centre.
• One treating consultant from outside the Dublin area, who treats people with haemophilia, to be nominated by the Irish Haemotology Society.

The Members of the National Haemophilia Council are appointed by the Minister for Health in accordance with Section 6 of the National Haemophilia Council (Establishment) Order, 2004 (SI No. 451 of 2004).

The current members of the National Haemophilia Council:

Mr. Brian O’Mahony, Chief Executive, Irish haemophilia Society, Cathedral Court, New Street, Dublin 8, D08 VH64

Brian represents the Society as Vice Chair of the Haemophilia Product Selection and Monitoring Advisory Board established by the Minister in 2002. He previously served as Chair of the Irish Haemophilia Society for 17 years and as President of the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) for 10 years.

Brian continues to work as a volunteer with WFH. Among his activities are writing, advocating, facilitating training on strategic planning, national procurement systems, and lobbying. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences and of the Academy of Medical Laboratory Sciences. He also has professional qualifications in occupational health and safety and in management. Brian O’Mahony has severe Haemophilia B.

Dr Alison Dougall, Consultant / Assistant Professor, Dublin University Dental Hospital, Lincoln Pl, Dublin 2, D02 F859

Dr Alison Dougall is a Consultant / Assistant Professor of Medically Compromised Patients at the Dublin University Dental Hospital and Trinity College Dublin. She is President of the World Federation for Haemophilia Dental Division and the editor of the “International Association for Disability and Oral Health. She is director of the doctorate programme in special care dentistry at Trinity College Dublin and I\’m 2015 she won the HMI health leader award for her work around oral health promotion for people with haemophilia in Ireland.

Dr. Cleona Duggan MB, MRCP (Edin) FFPath FRCPath

Dr. Cleona Duggan MB, MRCP (Edin) FFPath FRCPath was born in the US and grew up in Dublin. Her family moved to Cork where she completed her schooling. She attended University College Cork where she studied medicine. After graduation she did her basic specialist training in Dublin and London. She returned to Dublin to do higher specialist training in Haematology (Clinical and Laboratory) and was awarded Membership of the Royal College of Pathologists in 1997, and Fellowship in 2005. She was awarded Fellowship of the faculty of Pathology, Royal College of Physicians on 2000. She works as a Consultant Haematologist with special interest in Haemostasis and Thrombosis at Cork University Hospital and University College Cork. She has held this post since 2010. She has the responsibility for the delivery of care to people with Hereditary Bleeding Disorders at the Cork Comprehensive Care Centre.

Dr. Ruth Gilmore, Consultant Haematologist, University Hospital Galway, Newcastle Rd, Galway, H91 YR71

Dr. Ruth Gilmore qualified in 1998 from National University of Ireland, Galway. Subsequently, she did her postgraduate Haematology training in Ireland and did a Masters in Medical Informatics as well as an MD on Thrombin Generation in Trinity College Dublin whilst working at the National Centre Hereditary Coagulation Disorders in St James’s Hospital.

Dr. Gilmore was appointed a Consultant in Haematology to Galway University Hospital in 2011. Her research interests include rare bleeding disorders, thrombin generation and the use of computers in Health Care. Her areas of special responsibility are Hemostasis and Thrombosis, Obstetric Haematology and Paediatric Haematology. Dr. Gilmore was reappointed to the Council in July 2016.

Ms. Debbie Greene, Administrator, Irish Haemophilia Society, First Floor, Cathedral Court, New Street, Dublin 8, D08 VH64

Ms. Debbie Greene joined the Irish Haemophilia Society in 2003. Ms. Greene is the Administrator of the Society having taken up the role in May 2009. Ms. Greene oversees the day to day running of the office including the organization of Information Days, Regional Meetings and Conferences, Staffing and Event Management. Ms. Greene is a member of the Irish Haemostasis Research Foundation and is also involved with the World Federation of Hemophilia Twinning Program. Ms. Greene represents the Society at various Comprehensive Care Centre Team Meetings.

Mr Brian Fitzgerald, Chairperson

Mr Brian Fitzgerald as Chairperson of the National Haemophilia Council for a three-year period with effect from the 1st August 2019. Mr Fitzgerald is the Deputy CEO of Beacon Hospital and was previously the Chief Executive Officer & CFO of St. James’s Hospital. He is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and holds an Executive MBA from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. He is a member of the Government’s oversight council for the Sláintecare Health Policy. He is also a member of the Department of Health’s Patient Safety Council.

Ms Mary Kavanagh, Clinical Nurse Manager in Haemophilia, Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin, Dublin 12, D12 N512

Ms Mary Kavanagh was appointed to the National Haemophilia Council by Minister for Health Mr Stephen Donnelly from the 4th August 2020. Ms. Kavanagh is the Haemophilia Clinical Nurse Specialist in Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin and has provided care and expertise to children with haemophilia and their families for many years. She is also the Chairperson of the Nurses Committee of the European Association of Haemophilia and Allied Disorders (EAHAD). Mary qualified as a general adult nurse in 1996 and as a children’s nurse in 1998. She worked as a children’s nurse in a malignant Haematology / Oncology unit before taking up post as Clinical Nurse Specialist in Haemophilia in 2001.

Dr Beatrice Nolan, Consultant Haematologist, Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin, Dublin 12, D12 N512

Dr. Beatrice Nolan was appointed as a Consultant Haematologist to St James’s Hospital in 2001. In 2018 Dr. Nolan was appointed full-time Lead Consultant Haematologist for paediatric haemophilia and allied bleeding disorders at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin with a national remit.

Prof. Niamh O’Connell, National Haemophilia Director, Consultant Haematologist, National Coagulation Centre, St. James’s Hospital, James Street, Dublin 8

Prof. Niamh O’Connell is National Haemophilia Director at the National Coagulation Centre (NCC), St. James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. Having returned to Ireland in 2004 following specialist training in Haemostasis and Thrombosis the UK, Dr O’Connell joined the NCC as Consultant Haematologist in 2010 and took on the role of Director of the NCC in 2018. The NCC is the lead comprehensive care centre for adults in Ireland and is a hub for clinical services, research, training and education in disorders of haemostasis on a national basis. The NCC, working in partnership with the two other Comprehensive Care Centres in Ireland and with the Irish Haemophilia Society, is committed to delivering high quality and safe healthcare and to promoting healthy living for people and their families living with Haemophilia and other coagulation disorders. Prof. O’Connell’s research interests include clinical trials in novel therapies for Haemophilia, clinical outcomes in Haemophilia and application of information technology solutions in the management of Haemophilia.

The Council can be contacted as follows:

Ms. Gráinne Leach,
Chief Officer,
National Haemophilia Council,
Health Service Executive,
Mill Lane,
Palmerstown,
Dublin 20.

Tel: 6201708
Mobile: 087 6546463
E-mail: grainne.leach@hse.ie
Website: www.nationalhaemophiliacouncil.ie