Burke supports call for the appointment of a full time Director of Research for Health Service

Fine Gael Cork North Central Senator and Seanad Spokesperson on Health Colm Burke has voiced his support for a call by the Medical Research Charities Group seeking the appointment of a full time Director of Research within the Health Service.   Senator Burke was speaking following the launch of the Group’s pre-budget submission.

The Medical Research Charities Group is an umbrella group of 31 medical research and patient support charities who have co-funded €60 million of medical research.  

“The appointment of a full time Director of Research would demonstrate a commitment to ensuring that health research remains a key priority in the Health Service.

“The introduction of such a full time post would provide a focal point and thereby assist in improving the structures for medical research in the Health Service overall.   By creating a culture of research within the Health Service better outcomes can be achieved for patients. The implementation of good practices and policies for clinical research within the health service would benefit greatly from such an appointment.

“A highly functioning research environment can provide objective and concrete data which is essential when determining cost savings initiatives, the reallocation of resources, access and quality of care issues.   This data would greatly assist in the development of government health policy and ultimately drive better health outcomes for individuals.

“The commitment demonstrated by such an appointment would be beneficial in helping to retain high calibre health researchers.   Irish graduates are highly sought internationally and being enticed abroad by large research initiatives. A well resourced and highly functioning research service would be an important factor in seeking to retain these graduates.”