Letterkenny HSE professionals win Spark Award

Letterkenny-based healthcare professionals won an award at the annual HSE Spark Awards in Dublin.

Catherine Kelly and Gary Gardiner, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist and Principal Paramedicine Tutor with Letterkenny Pathfinder Team, received the Best Hospital Avoidance Award for their project, ‘Introduction of Point of Care Blood Testing for Letterkenny Pathfinder Patients.’

The HSE Spark Awards celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of frontline health professionals and aim to explore the latest advancements in healthcare innovation. 

Kelly and Gardiner’s award-winning project used point-of-care blood testing to reduce unnecessary trips to Emergency Departments. With the help of GPs, point-of-care blood testing was used on patients with low-grade infections or mild dehydration. 

This initiative demonstrated that early intervention combined with therapy input can safely prevent Emergency Department visits. 

Of the 50 patients assessed during the pilot phase of the project, 86% of the patients were safely managed at home, with 88% still at home after seven days with no adverse effects. The approach reduced ambulance use and Emergency Department strain, while improving patient experience and autonomy. 

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HSE Spark Innovation Lead, Caitriona Heffernan, said: “The Spark Summit is just one day in the year, but it represents the culmination of countless hours of dedication, creativity, and collaboration by frontline staff across the health service.

“It’s an opportunity to honour and recognise their commitment to improving patient care through innovation. It not only celebrates their achievements but also demonstrates the power of face-to-face connection to inspire learning, spark new ideas, problem-solving, and strengthen our shared drive to deliver better care across the HSE.”