Press Release: Mike Ryan to open International Quality and Patient Safety Conference in Dublin
Ireland’s Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE), in partnership with the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua), today announced the opening of ISQua’s 42nd International Conference, which will take place at The Convention Centre Dublin from 28 to 30 September 2026.
The conference will be officially opened by Dr Mike Ryan, Irish epidemiologist and global health leader, on Monday, 28 September 2026. Under the theme “Thriving Through Compassion and Community: Sharing Stories for the Future of Health Systems”, ISQua 2026 will focus on how healthcare organisations can learn from one another’s experiences to build stronger, safer and more responsive health services.
The conference is expected to be the largest to date, bringing together more than 1,700 healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, patient advocates and quality improvement leaders from over 90 countries to explore how health services can improve quality, safety and patient care.
Rachel Kenna, Chief Nursing Officer at the Department of Health, said:
“ISQua gives Ireland an important opportunity to share our experience, learn from colleagues around the world and contribute to discussions about the future of healthcare. It will showcase some of the excellent work taking place across Ireland’s health and social care services, including regulators, policy makers, researchers, advocates and, most importantly, patients.
“In Ireland and globally, health services are facing major challenges, including digital transition, climate change and the need to provide more integrated care. Addressing these challenges require us to come together, as staff and patients, to strengthen patient safety systems. We all have a role to play in identifying solutions and supporting their implementation, with patient involvement at every level.”
The conference is an associated event of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, reflecting its importance within Ireland’s wider programme of international engagement during the Presidency period.
Dr Orla Healy, HSE National Clinical Director for Quality and Patient Safety, said:
“At a time of significant transformation within our health service, it is also an opportunity to engage with colleagues from around the world, to learn from shared experiences, showcase the progress being made across the Irish health system, and continue to strengthen our collective commitment to delivering safe, effective and person-centred care for patients and communities throughout Ireland.”
Pedro Delgado, ISQua Chief Executive Officer, added:
“It is a great privilege to bring the ISQua community back to Dublin, and we are deeply grateful to our partners in Ireland’s Department of Health and the HSE for welcoming us and working alongside us to make this gathering possible.
“Our ambition at ISQua is to help close the gaps in quality that still exist globally, and none of us can do that alone. I hope Dublin will be a place where we listen generously, share what we know, challenge one another, build new relationships, and leave with renewed energy to turn learning into action and action into better care for the communities we all serve.”
Hosted in Dublin for the third time, the conference will feature plenary sessions, workshops, learning journeys, poster presentations and networking opportunities. Discussions will cover key issues including patient safety, quality improvement, integrated care, equity, innovation and artificial intelligence, workforce development, external evaluation, and sustainability in healthcare.
Dublin previously hosted the ISQua International Conference in 2000 and again in 2009. Its return in 2026 reflects Ireland’s continued commitment to improving the quality and safety of healthcare and to learning from international experience and best practice.