PSI and CORU explore ‘Regulatory Leadership in a Changing World’ at annual conference

PSI - The Pharmacy Regulator together with CORU, the Health and Social Care regulator, yesterday held the fourth annual Fitness to Practise Conference, bringing together representatives from across the health and social care professional regulators, at the Mansion House, Dublin. Today’s event included an address from the Hon. Mr Justice David Barniville, President of the High Court and Ms Rachel Kenna, Chief Nursing Officer at the Department of Health.  

This year’s theme ‘Regulatory Leadership in a Changing World’ explored a range of issues relevant to the future of regulation, with perspectives from Ireland and internationally. This included regulatory change, leadership in an evolving regulatory environment, recent trends and developments in the High Court, and approaches to decision-making, learning and evaluating regulatory performance. Discussions considered how regulatory systems can continue to evolve in response to emerging challenges while maintaining effective, proportionate and responsive approaches with a strong focus on public protection.

Speaking at the conference, Mo Flynn, Chairperson of CORU, said, 

 “What makes this conference particularly valuable is that it is a genuinely collaborative endeavour across the health professional regulatory community. It reflects a shared commitment among regulators to learn from one another, to challenge ourselves, and ultimately to strengthen our respective approaches to fitness to practise in the public interest.”

Dr. Denis O’Driscoll, President of the PSI, said, 

“Good regulation is not about having every answer. It is about making difficult decisions carefully, lawfully and openly. We need to learn from what our regulatory systems are telling us and have the courage to change. The real test of today is what we each take back into our organisations and our practice. The value will lie not only in what we have heard, but in what we now do differently because of it.”

The conference included speakers from PSI; CORU as well as international expertise from Dr Anna van der Gaag CBE a UK healthcare and regulation academic expert, Sanah Sidhu and Ashley Carlson from the College of Licensed Practical Nurses and Health Care Aides of Alberta, and Graham Mockler from the Professional Standards Authority. The event also included panel discussions, bringing together regulatory and legal perspectives,  moderated by Johanna Morris and Caroline Conroy.