Meet #OurEntrepreneurs. Introducing Peter Cosgrove a Consultant Physician in Paediatric Emergency Medicine and Northern Ireland
Tell us a bit about yourself
I am a Consultant Physician in Paediatric Emergency Medicine and Northern Ireland Specialist Transport & Retrieval (NISTAR) working at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. I retain Specialist Registration in Ireland, the UK and Board Certification in General Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine in the US. I moved home to Northern Ireland in 2020 after working as Consultant in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Instructor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. We aim to give our five children the same outstanding opportunities I received growing up in Northern Ireland. In Belfast I provide direct patient care and simultaneous clinical instruction to trainees at all levels. My remaining efforts are spent in academic pursuits that centre on educational and research efforts focused on resuscitation, procedural sedation as well as a number of translational research activities.
Name: Peter Cosgrove NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Cohort 6
Occupation: Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Transport (NISTAR), Northern Ireland
In Belfast I provide direct patient care and simultaneous clinical instruction to trainees at all levels. My remaining efforts are spent in academic pursuits that centre on educational and research efforts focused on resuscitation, procedural sedation as well as a number of translational research activities.
Why did you apply to the programme and what are you looking forward to?
I was introduced to HIRANI by an academic colleague at Queens University. After a few conversations it was clear that HIRANI and I had much in common and I was incredibly impressed with their collaborative goals for the clinical, academic and industrial sectors. This overlapped in key areas with my own experience in Dublin, Texas and Boston as a Clinical Academic.
This programme aims to break down the silos and improve the crosspollination between the clinical, academic and industrial sectors for the benefit of patient care. I most look forward to learning from colleagues and people with new perspectives on how to build a better system for our patients.
Tell us about your innovation
Having moved countries within Medicine previously I was still surprised at the differences in Northern Irish healthcare culture. Electronic Healthcare Records and health data usage have changed the face of medicine over the last decade and locally we recently have begun to focus on breaking down our siloed healthcare with “No More Silos” from the Department of Health. After encountering numerous patients and parents in the ED who have had significant difficulties accessing healthcare exacerbated by the pandemic my idea is evolving around how to improve this collaboration between patients/parents and key stakeholders of the healthcare system.
What motivates you?
I am most motivated when working as a team to solve complex problems. I’m a life-long learner and love to hear new perspectives that I hadn’t considered and how they may challenge our preconceptions.
What ambitions do you have for the next year?
I would be delighted to start having significant conversations with key decision makers in order to explore new solutions to both new and longstanding challenges to Healthcare in Northern Ireland.
Why do you think innovation is important in healthcare?
Innovation is a crucial means of exploring novel solutions. It’s no surprise that the vast majority of pharmaceutical discoveries and developments are made in North America though every system has its challenges. In Northern Ireland, Innovation can take advantage of our strategic position post-Brexit to improve connections and collaboration locally, nationally and internationally. Innovation brings varied and important perspectives that provide platforms where questions are encouraged and challenges are shared. Indeed, the discussion on optimal patient care would be limited without these perspectives.
How can we find out more?
For more information, please contact me on LinkedIn
Peter is part of our Northern Ireland Cohort for 2022. The NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme is proud to be working in partnership with HIRANI and Invest NI to extend the programme to healthcare professionals in Northern Ireland. To find out more, please get in touch.
TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE THROUGH INNOVATION
