News
Mr Kevin Madigan appointed as Chief Executive of St John of God Community Services
Saint John of God Community Services announces the appointment of Mr Kevin Madigan as its new Chief Executive.
Mr Madigan is an acknowledged leader in the healthcare sector with over three decades of experience in the sector.
Kevin Madigan has experience in a variety of roles within St John of God Community services having started in 2000 where he worked in a range of specialist clinical roles. Prior to becoming CEO, Kevin served as Regional Director at St John of God Community Mental Health Services from 2021 to 2024.
Kevin has extensive experience in research which has seen him lead several studies and author over 40 publications in peer-reviewed journals. He has shared his expertise at international conferences and is a well-regarded voice in the mental health field.
Kevin has received numerous awards for his innovative work, including the Social Entrepreneur of Ireland Award, highlighting his commitment to advancing positive change and enhancing healthcare services. His leadership focuses on person-centred care, ongoing service improvement, and the provision of high quality, accessible healthcare.
He holds a Master’s in Healthcare Management from the Institute of Leadership at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and a Master’s by Research in Organisational Change through the Department of Medicine and Health Sciences at RCSI.
Speaking about his new role, Kevin Madigan said: “I am delighted to be appointed as CEO of St John of God Community Services. I am honoured to be leading an excellent team of highly skilled healthcare professionals deeply committed to improving the experience of all those who rely on our wide-ranging services. At St John of God Community Service we want to elevate standards and advocate for the rights of the intellectual disability and mental health sectors while also fostering innovation and leading the organisation towards a sustainable and person-centred approach.”
Ireland Rugby Star, Joe McCarthy, takes time out to present awards to his brother Andrew McCarthy and participants in Saint John of God Research Project
November 2024; A celebration was held today for the participants in a key research project which seeks to apply successful therapies used in dementia treatment to assist people with intellectual disabilities to boost memory and overall quality of life.
The research undertaken saw 11 participants take part in Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) to determine if it could improve the cognition and well-being of adults with intellectual disabilities over a 16-month period.
Irish Rugby’s Second Row star, Joe Mc Carthy said he was delighted to be able to support his brother in what has been an amazing project for people with Down Syndrome.
“Andrew participated in the research from the start, attending assessment sessions and a CST programme over a 12-month period. It’s been amazing to see the impact on his confidence and interactions over the time of his involvement. I hope that programmes like this become mainstream for Andrew and his friends to ensure best possible cognitive health is maintained as they get older.”
Andrew Mc Carthy added “I loved being part of the Brain Busters Project. The activities were fun, and I made new friends. I feel more confident talking to people now, and I’m excited to keep my brain healthy as I get older!”
Dr Sharon Hardiman, Senior Clinical Psychologist, of St. John of God Intellectual Disability Services, Dublin South East (SJOG ID DSE) says “We had huge interest and enthusiasm from people involved in our services and were thrilled to have received funding from SJOG Research to carry out this randomised control trial pilot study of CST for people with Down Syndrome. CST has a strong evidence base for boosting memory and quality of life for older people with dementia. We wanted to see if we could adapt this programme for younger adults with Down Syndrome who are at ultra-high risk of developing memory problems and dementia as they get older. Our pilot study results have shown that these adults made significant gains in memory and independence following attendance at our CST programme”.
These are exciting results, that SJOG ID DSE, UCD, and SJOG Research hope will inspire national initiatives in the future. The next study in this research project is a randomised control trial pilot study examining the benefits of robust weekly exercise classes for these adults.
The St John of God Brain Busters Project, in collaboration with University College Dublin (UCD) was conceptualised by Dr Sharon Hardiman (SJOG ID DSE) and Dr Flavia H Santos of UCD and funded by St John of God Research. Dr Lesley O’Hara, CEO of SJOG Research, said ‘this piece of research shows the importance of embedding research within our service delivery. We are delighted to see the individuals who attend all SJOG services have the opportunity to take part in research and contribute to knowledge’.
Sept 2024
Join us at St John of God Hospital for our inaugural Culture Night event: “Foundations of Healing: The Legacy of Mental Health Care.” This event offers a thoughtful look into the hospital’s history and its contributions to mental health care.
Learn about the journey of St John of God Hospital, from its early days to its role in supporting mental health today. The evening will include talks from Brother Finnian of the St John of God Order and Dr. Eamonn Gardiner, who will share insights into the hospital’s foundation and evolution.
Through stories, historical reflections, and archival images, we will explore the cultural and historical context that shaped the hospital’s development. We invite you to join us for this meaningful evening of learning and reflection. Get your FREE entry ticket here.
Dr Colin O'Gara on In the News....
April 2024
Dr Colin O’Gara, head of addiction services at St John of God Hospital in Dublin, tells In the News about the dangers of new, more potent strains of cannabis, what is cannabis-induced psychosis and the link between use of the drug and
existing mental health issues.
Damien O'Dowd announced as new Chief Executive
We are delighted to welcome back Mr Damien O’Dowd as the new Chief Executive to Saint John of God Hospital and its associated services Mental Health First Aid Ireland and St John of God Dementia Care at St Joseph’s Centre.
Damien’s appointment sees his return to St John of God Hospital having commenced his career there in the 1990’s. Damien is a senior healthcare executive and director with over twenty years’ experience at leadership and senior level management level within healthcare organisations and services in both the private and voluntary healthcare sectors. He has most recently held Senior Consultant and Director roles in Vision Consulting and Virtus Health respectively and was Chief Executive of the Bloomfield Health Service between the years 2011 and 2018.
I am delighted to rejoin St. John of God Hospital as CEO, where I first began my career in mental health over 30 years ago and which remains a leading service provider of mental health care in Ireland. I am privileged to be leading an excellent team of highly experienced healthcare professionals and we will continue to work together to elevate the patient experience across all our associated services. The healthcare landscape is ever-evolving and this is a time of positive change and renewal within our sector. Going forward, we will continue to prioritise service excellence and the well-being of all our patients and the communities we serve"
Relaunch of St John of God
November 2023
St John of God Hospitaller Services Group has recently undertaken a review of its brand offering and that of its constituent entities and will soon transition to a new brand identity to be unveiled initially to its 4000 staff in the coming weeks and implemented across the Group in subsequent months.
This initiative will seek to better communicate the renewed mission and values of the organisation which has now fully transitioned to a lay entity, as it continues to be a leading provider of community and in-patient mental health services and dementia care, as well as day and residential intellectual disability services to over 10,000 people in counties Dublin, Kildare Wicklow, Kerry and in the North-East.
