Euroheart Programme Manager

EuroHeart is a registry platform for cardiovascular diseases, which has been developed by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). It is an IT infrastructure for continuous online registration of high quality patient data, with real-time feedback, supporting continuous improvement of care and outcomes in patients with common cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, EuroHeart facilitates cost-effective safety surveillance of new drugs and devices as well as registry-based randomized controlled trials. The EuroHeart programme has been designed for the benefit of patients, citizens and the planning of healthcare.

To date, twelve European countries are participating in the EuroHeart network submitting data on Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) / Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). The first EuroHeart report was published in 2024

EuroHeart effectively addresses Ireland’s need for registry development across the cardiology landscape, with capability to deliver registries in ACS/PCI, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, TAVI (transcather aortic valve implantation) and other disease domains, as the EuroHeart programme grows. The Department of Health has committed to the phased introduction of the EuroHeart suite of registries beginning in 2025 to support data-driven reform in the cardiovascular space. The HSE National Heart Programme and HSE Integrated Care Programme for Chronic Disease have committed to the implementation of EuroHeart by supporting a proof of concept in HSE South West in advance of a planned national rollout. The Irish Cardiac Society and the National Office of Clinical Audit (NOCA) are additional key stakeholders in the development of EuroHeart in Ireland.

HSE South West, through the Coronary Heart Attack Ireland Register (CHAIR) and the Regional Director of Technology and Transformation, has been tasked with delivering EuroHeart in HSE South West, as proof of concept for the first phase of delivery of a national registry. The pilot project will be undertaken in six hospitals currently participating in CHAIR, Cork University Hospital, Bantry General Hospital, Mallow General Hospital, University Hospital Kerry, Mercy University Hospital and Bons Secours Hospital Tralee. The pilot will test the data collection and submission process for the ACS/PCI registry across all sites through the EuroHeart platform, from both the technical and data standards aspects, and will further test the submission of the NOCA Irish Heart Attack Audit dataset through the EuroHeart platform.

A EuroHeart Governance Board will be established under the auspices of the Irish Cardiac Society. The EuroHeart Governance Board will shape the strategic direction of EuroHeart in Ireland and will be responsible and accountable for its development and implementation. Membership will be representative of specialty, geography and patient partnership in order to achieve an appropriate mix of relevant skills to best support the EuroHeart proof of concept and planned national rollout. The EuroHeart Governance Board and a HSE/Department of Health Implementation Oversight Group will be responsible and accountable for implementation and development of EuroHeart.

Six Health Regions have been established within the HSE, on the basis of the geographical boundaries agreed by the Government in July 2019 and they will be operational from 2024.

Each Health Region will be tasked with population specific planning resourcing and delivery of health and social care services for the needs of its unique population. This will result in improved accountability and governance in terms of finance and performance, while also bringing decision-making closer to the frontline.

Health Regions will enable and empower staff to provide services that are:

· Integrated, locally planned and delivered

· Easier to access and navigate

· Available closer to home

Health Regions are geographically based units with clearly defined populations. They align community and hospital services within specific areas. The HSE will retain a strong but leaner central organisation, with more service provision developed at a local level.

The HSE South West Health Region will manage and deliver all public health and social care services in Cork and Kerry. HSE South West includes all hospital and community healthcare services in the region.

This includes:

· South / South West Hospital Group S/SWHG

· Cork Kerry Community Healthcare CKCH

The Department of Population and Public Health is also now aligned with this health region.

Services in the South West health region:

HSE Services working within this region include:

· Acute Hospitals

· Primary care services

· Community services

· Social care services

· Health and social care professionals

· Voluntary sector services

South / South West Hospital Group and Cork Kerry Community Healthcare became part of HSE South West Health Region on the 3rd March, 2025, and the transition to the new structures will be continue throughout 2025.