UL Appoints Ireland's First Female Professor of Primary Healthcare Research

The University of Limerick has appointed Anne MacFarlane as Ireland's first female professor of Primary Healthcare Research.

Professor MacFarlane is not only the first female Professor in this discipline in Ireland but she is also the first social scientist to hold a Chair in academic primary care in Ireland. She has over twenty years experience of health services research.

Professor MacFarlane's work focuses on the involvement of people from marginalised communities in primary care research and development projects. In this, she uses participatory research methods and a contemporary social theory which centres on introducing and maintaining innovation in healthcare settings. Professor MacFarlane explained the importance of this research: "We need a high quality evidence base about primary care. This needs to be generated in Irish primary care settings so that services meet the needs of service users and their families.

"My focus is on ensuring that service users have a ‘voice' in generating that evidence base."

The Director of Research in the Graduate Entry Medical School, Professor Colum Dunne, commended Professor MacFarlane's appointment.

He said: "Prof MacFarlane's appointment to GEMS represents an important addition to our faculty. Translational research, and programmes focused on effectiveness, efficiencies and economics in healthcare, must be holistic in engaging with stakeholders.

"Anne's experience in researching this area will allow GEMS to continue to enhance its relevance to innovation in Irish and international healthcare."

Professor MacFarlane has a strong connection with NUI Galway. After graduating from University College Cork in 1992 with a B.A. (psychology and sociology) she continued her studies in the Department of Health Promotion, NUI Galway. She completed her MA (1995) and Ph.D (1998) here. She worked as a Research Fellow in University College London from 2000-2002, She then returned to NUI Galway and held a Health Research Board Health Services Research Fellowship in the Department of General Practice, NUI Galway (2002-2004). After this, Professor MacFarlane lectured here for a number of years.

16 Jan 2012

by Colette Sexton