Gathering evidence to support medical workforce planning in Ireland
Introduction
Research Area:
Health Policy; Health Services Research
What is the research about?
In this research project we want to identify and gather information, nationally and internationally, on medical workforce planning. By gathering this information we hope to find evidence on the most appropriate medical staffing level and skill mix needed to ensure patients get the best care in the health service. We will then look at possible ways of achieving these staffing levels.
The health service faces a lot of challenges, such as increasing numbers of older people in our population and difficulties recruiting and retaining doctors or other healthcare staff. It is important that the Department of Health make decisions based on up-to-date evidence to try and address these problems, and we hope that our project can provide this evidence.
We would like to speak to 4-6 adults (over 18 years of age) living in the Republic of Ireland who have in some way accessed health care in the past. For example, you may attend your GP, or have visited A&E, had surgery, or maybe you visit a specialist for a particular health condition. You may be a parent or a care for someone who regularly has to visit a doctor and if so we would also like to speak to you. We will explain the project to you and ask for your thoughts on different parts of it. We are interested in your individual perspective, and no previous experience is required.
Opportunity for:
Involvement Opportunity Details
Time
Time commitment:
One online meeting - 60 minutes over Zoom or Microsoft Teams on Monday 9th or Tuesday 10th June. This meeting will give us a clearer idea of how we will carry out the research and it will improve our grant application.
Contact between meetings:
When you respond to this advert one of the team will contact you by telephone for a quick conservation to share a little more on the project. If you are interested in discussing the research project proposal more we will arrange an online call for one hour to discuss it in more detail.
Length of involvement:
For now, this is a one-off meeting to help shape the research proposal. We hope that this project will get funding and if so we may ask you to become more involved (e.g. a one-hour meeting every three months for two years).
Start date for involvement:
03/06/2025
Logistics
Where?
If online, explain how:
We will invite you to an online meeting on Microsoft Teams or Zoom. If you have not used either of these before, we can talk you through how to set it up.
If in person, explain where:
Not applicable
Other ways of communicating:
Phone
Funding available for:
If no funding available, explain why:
Not applicable
Other Information
Stage of the research study/ programme:
Early planning
Is this opportunity for PPI in a PhD:
No
Closing date to contact researchers:
06/07/2025
Research Team
Contact person:
Professor Gozie Offiah, Department of Surgery
University/organisation:
RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Contact email:
niamhdillon@rcsi.ie
Researcher background:
The Principal Investigator for this project is Professor Gozie Offiah, a medical doctor who works in the Department of Surgery in RCSI. Professor Offiah is a medical educator, training medical students and contributing to the curriculum for medical internship training in Ireland. When you respond to this advert, you will first be put in contact with Niamh Dillon (picture below) who is the public patient involvement in research manager in RCSI.
Research funder:
Health Research Board (HRB)
Photo:
Interested in this PPI Opportunity?
Please complete this form and click SUBMIT