64 Health Matters
South // News
HSE and Barnardos launch Teen Parent Support Programme for North Wexford
+ At the launch of Barnardos Teen Parent Support Programme at Gorey Community Youth and Child Care Centre were Catherine Joyce, Barnardos, Assistant Director, South East; Margaret Morris, National TSSP Co-ordinator; Thelma Blehien, Senior Community Development Worker, HSE; Fergus Finlay, Chief Executive, Barnardos; Clare Murphy, Child Care Manager, and Redin Dunne, Barnardos TPSP Project Manager. The HSE and its partner Barnardos officially launched the Teen Parent Support Programme for North Wexford in Gorey, Co Wexford, in April. The programme aims to support teenagers and their extended families in dealing with the challenges associated with teenage pregnancy and young parenthood. It is available to young people aged 19 years or under who are
expecting a baby or who have already become parents. The programme came about as a result of local partnership, where various professionals from the HSE worked with agencies such as Gorey Youth Community and Childcare Centre, schools, social welfare and local authority housing departments, medical practitioners and others in the community.
Kilkenny pioneers ‘Age Friendly County’ Kilkenny has become the first ‘Age Friendly County’ in the South region. The programme, which has been backed by the HSE from its inception, brings together key service providers from the public and private sectors, along with service users, to enable older people to live in security, enjoy good health and continue to participate in society. A seminar to officially launch the programme took place in Kilkenny in March. Among those who attended were: Minister of State Áine Brady TD, Laverne McGuinness National Director, Integrated Services Directorate, Pat Healy Regional Director of Operations, HSE South, Anna-Marie Lanigan Local Health Manager for Carlow/Kilkenny and Dr Emer Ahern Consultant and Community Geriatrician, St Luke’s General Hospital for Carlow/Kilkenny. Pat Healy noted that the Age Friendly County initiative will build on the National Positive Ageing Strategy, announced by the Department of Health and Children earlier this year.
‘Healing Garden’ for Clonmel Hospital Staff at South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel, working with the Irish Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme, are developing a ‘Healing Garden’ as a result of funds raised through their recent Gala Ball. Located at the centre of the hospital, the garden will include water features, decking and seating areas for use by patients and their visitors as a place of tranquillity away from the wards. Further fundraising plans by the staff committee in coming weeks include a barbeque and auctions of items donated by local horse trainer, Aidan O’ Brien, and the Tipperary hurling team.
+
Back (L-R): Fiona McGrath, Hospital In-Patient Enquiry system office, Gail Long (Laboratory), Carole Broadbank (General Manager), Joan Duggan (Surgical Ward Clark), Glenda O’Gorman (Day Ward), Nicola Burke (Radiographer), Jackie Hassett (Nursing Administration), Sandra McCormack (Staff Nurse), Ronan Corcoran (Emergency Medical Technician), Claire Williams (Staff Midwife) and Rosita Guidera (Hospital In-Patient Enquiry system office). Front (L-R): Jane Norris (Personnel), Kay Ryan (General Manager’s Office), John Hally (General Support Services) and Clodagh O’Donnell (Medical Secretary).
+
Front Row (L-R): Cllr Michael O’Brien, Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council; Alison McGrath, CEO Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce; Anne Connolly, Director Ageing Well Network; Cllr Malcolm Noonan, Mayor of Kilkenny. Back Row (L-R): Joe Crockett Kilkenny County Manager, Nicky Brennan, (Glanbia), Geraldine Crowley (Office of Regional Director of Operations, HSE South), Mary Doyle (Department of an Taoiseach), Pat Healy (Regional Director of Operations, HSE South), Laverne McGuinness (National Director, Integrated Services, HSE), Anna Marie Lanigan (Local Health Manager, Carlow/Kilkenny), John Beard (Age Friendly Cities Programmes) and Patricia Goan (Age Friendly Counties Manager).