Co-producing evidence to inform universal health coverage implementation in Ireland: 2019-2024

Abstract

Abstract Background In 2017, Ireland’s parliamentary health committee published a ten-year health reform plan, entitled Sláintecare, with the aim of delivering universal healthcare. Endorsed by government in 2018, progressing Sláintecare remains government policy in 2024. In 2019, Prof Burke was awarded public funding to co-produce knowledge for the design and implementation of the regions, a key aspect of Sláintecare. In 2020, with the arrival of COVID-19, regional reform was paused and the research pivoted to capture the learning from the COVID-19 health system response to inform Sláintecare. In 2022/3, the research returned to focus on the regions. Methods Foundations’ research resulted in 14 peer-reviewed publications between 2019 and 2023. These were mixed-methods using qualitative and quantitative data and analysis. Coproduction with health system leaders that were devising and implementing the regions and the COVID-19 health system response underpinned the research. Results There are 14 academic publications from the Foundations Research (2019-2023). At the core of co-production is trust and good working relationships. Co-producing research with senior policy makers and implementers has benefits and drawbacks. The benefits include access to resources and data and that the data and knowledge generated are more likely to be adopted. Drawbacks include control over areas researched, denial of access to data and lack of openness to research findings. Producing controversial findings, unpopular with government, minister or health system leaders can also lead to difficulties for the research team. Discussion/conclusions Details of the coproduction process with senior health system and policy leaders will be presented. It will detail specific examples of the research which were initiated by the health system and those that came from the academic research team. It will give examples of how the research influenced the policy making and implementation processes. Key messages • Co-producing research between academics and health system and policy leaders leads to better use of evidence. • Trust and good workign relationships are key to co-producing research that is used in policy making and implementation processes.