RCSI DUBLIN and ONLINE
10am to 5pm, Friday, 22 May 2026
The 6th National Human Factors in Patient Safety Conference
Conference theme:
Human Factors in Practice; How Far Have We Come?
In-Person Location: Albert Lecture Theatre, RCSI Dublin
Event Agenda:
09:00 – 10:00 Registration
10:00 – 10:15 Welcome from Co-Chairs Dr Emily O'Dowd and Ms Dara O'Keeffe
10:15 – 11:00 Keynote Session: Prof Mike Fray, Professor of Ergonomics and Assisted Performance, Loughborough University
30 mins presentation + 15mins questions
11:15 – 12:45 Morning Workshop Sessions
12:45 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:30 Afternoon Workshop Sessions
15:45 – 16:30 Keynote Session: Prof Marie Ward, Chairperson of the Irish Ergonomics and Human Factors Society (IEHFS) and Embedded Human Factors Practitioner
30 mins presentation + 15mins questions
16:30 – 17:00 Live Q&A + Discussion Panel
5 Reasons to attend the National Human Factors in Patient Safety Conference
1. Connect with our Global Community
2. Hybrid event: Join in-person and online
3. Learn from leading experts in Human Factors
4. Build practical skills in interactive workshops
5. Hear from our RCSI Human Factors Academy
“The National Human Factors in Patient Safety Conference provides an excellent opportunity for in-person attendees to network with like-minded professionals. It’s truly an event not to be missed!”
Ms. Mary Bedding
Project Lead, Guidance Development, National Deteriorating Patient Improvement Programme (DPIP) (Previous Attendee)
Workshop Sessions
All workshops at the Conference will run at the same times:
• Morning (am): 11:20 – 12:50
• Afternoon (pm): 14:00 – 15:30
Attendees that are registering for the in-person conference will be asked to SELECT ONE AM WORKSHOP and ONE PM WORKSHOP in the morning at registration.
If you are attending the conference online you will automatically be enrolled in:
• AM: Transforming Theatre, Charlie Dineen
• PM: The Empowered Voice, Patient Advocacy Services
Workshop FAQs:
1. Do I have to select the workshops in advance?
No, you will be choosing which workshop to attend on the day of the conference if attending in person.
2. How many different workshops are available?
Did you know?
The National Human Factors in Patient Safety Conference is approved for 6 CPD Credits
There are 5 different workshops to choose rom if you are attending the conference in person. However, you may only choose one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
3. Can I attend an online workshop if I am attending the conference in person?
Yes, If you choose to attend online workshops in person you will be able to view the session in the theatre but not actively participate. Unless, you bring your laptop and connect from the theatre with the zoom meeting.
4. Are there limited places available for workshops?
Yes, places will allocated on a first come first serve basis during the morning registration from 9:00 – 10:00am
Workshop Sessions Schedule
MORNING In-Person (am) Workshops: 11:15 – 12:45 select one
WORKSHOP TITLE
Advanced Safety Concepts for Optimised Care Delivery
FACILITATOR
Liam Chadwick
Chartered Ergonomist and Human Factors Specialist with CIEHF
From Acci-Maps to Preventi-Maps: using incident investigation to create systems solutions
Dr Mike Fray
Professor of Ergonomics and Assisted Performance, Loughborough University
LOCATION
RCSI (St Stephens Green Campus)
Using Simulation to Train Interprofessional Conflict and Negotiation
Dr Dara O’Keeffe
RCSI Simulation Lead in Postgraduate Surgical Education
RCSI (St Stephens Green Campus)
ONLINE SCREENING
Transforming Theatre
*Please note if you are attending online you will be automatically enrolled in this workshop.
Charlie Dineen
Programme Manager, Transforming Theatre
QI Programme, National Clinical Programmes
RCSI (St Stephens Green Campus)
Dr Therese Callinan
Senior Improvement Advisor with National Perioperative Patient Enhancement Programme
ONLINE and screening at RCSI (St Stephens Green Campus)
AFTERNOON In Person (pm) Workshops: 14:00 – 15:30 select one
WORKSHOP TITLE
Advanced Safety Concepts for Optimised Care Delivery
FACILITATOR
Liam Chadwick
Chartered Ergonomist and Human Factors Specialist with CIEHF
From Acci-Maps to Preventi-Maps: using incident investigation to create systems solutions
Dr Mike Fray
Professor of Ergonomics and Assisted Performance, Loughborough University
LOCATION
RCSI (St Stephens Green Campus)
RCSI (St Stephens Green Campus)
Using Simulation to Train Interprofessional Conflict and Negotiation
ONLINE SCREENING
The Empowered Voice: Integrating Advocacy and Human Factors in Patient Safety
*Please note if you are attending online you will be automatically enrolled in this workshop.
Dr Dara O’Keeffe
RCSI Simulation Lead in Postgraduate Surgical Education
Service Delivery Team, Patient Advocacy Services
RCSI (St Stephens Green Campus)
ONLINE and screening at RCSI (St Stephens Green Campus)
Keynote Speaker and Workshop Facilitator
Dr Mike Fray
Professor of Ergonomics and Assisted Performance, Loughborough University
Dr Mike Fray is a Professor of Ergonomics and Human Factors at Loughborough University, internationally recognised for improving human performance and developing assistive technologies. He created the world leading Back Care Management programme and has advised healthcare, industry, and government bodies worldwide. His work focuses on safer, more effective healthcare delivery and reducing physical risk for staff.
Co-Chair and Workshop Facilitator
Dr Dara O’Keeffe
Co-Chair and RCSI Simulation Lead in Postgraduate Surgical Education
Dr Dara O’Keeffe is a healthcare educator who pioneered mandatory Human Factors training for surgical and emergency medicine trainees in Ireland. She has led major national assessment and simulation programmes at RCSI and previously worked in simulationbased learning at Harvard Medical School. Her expertise includes Human Factors, faculty development, and international simulation centre accreditation.
Keynote Speaker
Prof Marie Ward
Chairperson of the Irish Ergonomics and Human Factors Society (IEHFS) and Embedded Human Factors Practitioner
Prof Marie Ward is an embedded Human Factors researcher at St James’s Hospital, Dublin, specialising in systems design to improve patient and staff safety. She holds a PhD from Trinity College Dublin, where she is also an adjunct professor, and serves as Chair of the Irish Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and a Council member of the International Ergonomics Association. With over 150 publications and multiple international honours, her work focuses on socio technical system design, patient safety, and Human Factors education.
Co-Chair
Dr Emily O’Dowd
Head of MSc Human Factors and Patient Safety, Senior Lecturer in Surgical Education
Dr Emily O’Dowd is a Senior Lecturer in Surgical Education at RCSI, specialising in Human Factors and patient safety. She leads the Postgraduate Diploma and MSc in Human Factors in Patient Safety and teaches communication and non technical skills using simulation-based methods. Her research, grounded in psychology and health services, focuses on improving patient safety, and she contributes widely to national Human Factors initiatives and academic scholarship.
Workshop Facilitator
Liam Chadwick
Chartered Ergonomist and Human Factors Specialist with CIEHF
Liam Chadwick is a Chartered Ergonomist and Human Factors specialist with expertise in systems thinking, patient centred care, and healthcare process optimisation. Over 14 years, he has supported more than 80 hospitals internationally in implementing the Accountable Care Unit model and Structured Interdisciplinary Bedside Rounds. His work has contributed to award winning teams recognised for excellence in teamwork, quality, and patient safety.
Workshop Facilitator
Charlie Dineen
Programme Manager, Transforming Theatre QI Programme, National Clinical Programmes
Charlie Dineen is an operations and quality improvement specialist with over 30 years’ experience across industry, higher education, and healthcare. A Lean Sigma Master Black Belt, he focuses on building strong management systems to sustain improvement and has played a central role in RCSI’s theatre improvement programmes, including the design of the National Perioperative Patient Pathway Enhancement Programme. His work emphasises collaborative coaching and integrating technical and human elements of change.
Workshop Facilitator
Dr Therese Callinan
Senior Improvement Advisor with National Perioperative Patient Enhancement Programme
Dr Therese Callinan is a Senior Improvement Advisor with the National Perioperative Patient Pathway Enhancement Programme, supporting hospitals to improve theatre efficiency and perioperative care. With over 30 years’ experience in nursing, operations, and quality improvement, she specialises in translating data and improvement science into measurable gains in access, flow, and patient safety. Her PhD research focused on sustaining improvements in operating theatre performance, informing her leadership of large scale national initiatives.
World-class
1 Year Part-Time
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