Launch of Sláintecare Healthy Communities – Cavan

Today, Friday, 20th January 2023, Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys T.D. launched the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Initiative in Cavan. Introduced nationally in 2021, Sláintecare Healthy Communities is a cross-Government initiative to deliver increased health and wellbeing services to 19 community areas across Ireland. The Cavan Sláintecare Healthy Community Site, aligned to Cavan Community Health Care Network, is one of three such sites in the Community Healthcare Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo (CH CDLMS) Healthy Communities area, which also includes Inishowen and the Gaeltacht area in County Donegal.

Front row (From left): John Paul Feeley, Cathaoirleach Cavan County Council; Cara O'Neill, Head of Service, Health and Wellbeing, CH CDLMS; Heather Humphreys, T.D. Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development; Tommy Ryan, Chief Executive, Cavan County Council. Back row (From left): Terry Hyland, Cavan Community Local Development; Annmarie Crosse, Slaintecare Healthy Communitits Coordinator, H.S.E. Sinead Tormey, Slaintecare Healthy Communities Local Development Officer, Cavan County Council and Dermot McMonaglan, Chief Officer H.S.E. CH CDLMS. Photo: Adrian Donohoe.
Front row (From left): John Paul Feeley, Cathaoirleach Cavan County Council; Cara O'Neill, Head of Service, Health and Wellbeing, CH CDLMS; Heather Humphreys, T.D. Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development; Tommy Ryan, Chief Executive, Cavan County Council. Back row (From left): Terry Hyland, Cavan Community Local Development; Annmarie Crosse, Slaintecare Healthy Communitits Coordinator, H.S.E. Sinead Tormey, Slaintecare Healthy Communities Local Development Officer, Cavan County Council and Dermot McMonaglan, Chief Officer H.S.E. CH CDLMS. Photo: Adrian Donohoe.

Minister Humphreys welcomed attendees to the event along with Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr John Paul Feeley; Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, Tommy Ryan; Chief Officer HSE CH CDLMS Dermot Monaghan, and Cara O’ Neill, HSE Head of Service, Health and Wellbeing.

The launch of the Cavan Sláintecare Healthy Communities is the successful culmination of close collaboration between the Department of Health, Cavan County Council, HSE CH CDLMS and local partners Teach Oscail Family Resource Centre and Cavan Community Local Development (CCLD).

Together they are delivering evidence-based programmes and community initiatives across Cavan to support people’s wellbeing and provide better access to a range of services needed to promote healthier lifestyle behaviours. Initiatives being rolled out in Cavan under the Sláintecare Healthy Communities initiative include Healthy Food Made Easy, We Can Quit, Parenting Programmes, Making Every Contact Count, and a Social Prescribing Service.

In launching the programme, Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, said: “Sláintecare Healthy Communities is all about working together to deliver increased and better health and well-being services in communities on the ground.

It’s about supporting communities that are in greatest need. It’s about ensuring our citizens can live longer, healthier lives. “

The Minister added: “This important programme provides the mechanism for all the key partners to work collaboratively with the objective of keeping our communities safe and well. “It’s about providing the right care, in the right place at the right time.”

At the launch, Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr John Paul Feeley stated “Sláintecare Healthy Communities is a collective programme where we all work together to ensure that our communities in greatest need are supported to live longer, healthier lives. The health services cannot make these changes happen alone. To make real and lasting change we need to work together to create communities where people can thrive.  Our local community partners know better than anyone else what challenges this community faces and the strengths with it. They have the relationships and trust of the community and will be a key to the success of this programme as they are already imbedded into your community.”

Dermot Monaghan described how the HSE long–term investment of €520,000 annually will provide for the establishment and delivery of a variety of different programmes in the area as part of the Sláintecare Healthy Communities. These will include; a Free one to one Stop Smoking Service, We Can Quit Community based smoking cessation programmes, Parenting Support Programmes, Healthy Food Made Easy cookery courses and Social Prescribing programmes to support people’s mental health and wellbeing. 

Tommy Ryan, Chief Executive of Cavan County Council confirmed that the local authority is undertaking five capital projects with funding received from the Department of Health under the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Enhancement Works Programme with a total value of €250,000. These projects include refurbishment and upgrades to outdoor recreation areas in Belturbet Community Playground, Morrissey Park, Ballyjamesduff Playground, Cootehill Playground, Bailieborough Town Lake Outdoor Gym and an Adult Outdoor Gym and enhancement works to Con Smith Park in Cavan Town.

For further information please contact Ann Marie Crosse, HSE Sláintecare Healthy Communities Coordinator on annmarie.crosse@hse.ie or Sinead Tormey, Sláintecare Healthy Communities Local Development Officer, Cavan County Council on stormey@cavancoco.ie