POCT
Tue 29 Sep 2026 09:00-16:00
CityNorth Hotel & Conference Centre, Ireland, 5 CPD Hours

Strengthen POCT practice across all-Ireland

This one-day, face-to-face conference is designed for POCT managers and coordinators, laboratory and quality leads, clinical scientists, biomedical scientists and service managers working to improve, deliver or expand point-of-care testing.

Focused on the shared challenges facing POCT teams, this engaging forum will help you benchmark your service and take away practical ideas for governance, accreditation, connectivity, training, competency, community testing and resourcing. You will leave with a clearer direction on how to strengthen quality, support safe expansion beyond hospital settings and make the case for sustainable POCT development.

Featuring an afternoon of split sessions focused on local priorities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, this conference gives you the chance to explore relevant service challenges, share experiences with peers and avoid reinventing the wheel. 

Sponsored by:

Book Place Reserve Place
POCT All-Ireland Networking Forum
Face-to-face 5 hours Free

Expand your knowledge

5 hours Continuing Professional Development: what you will learn

Attend this essential conference to gain clear, practical insight you can take back and apply to your POCT service. Key learning outcomes include:

  • Strengthening governance, quality management and accreditation across POCT services 
  • Improving connectivity between POCT devices, middleware, laboratories and EPR systems 
  • Supporting training, competency and compliance for safe, consistent POCT delivery 
  • Demonstrating the clinical value of POCT through audit, pathway metrics and patient impact 
  • Expanding POCT safely into community, off-site and neighbourhood care settings 
  • Building stronger cases for staffing, facilities, resources and sustainable service development

Network and share experience

Advance connected, accredited and well-resourced POCT across all-Ireland

Come together with POCT colleagues from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to share experiences, exchange ideas and learn how others are tackling similar service challenges.

Gain practical insight from teams working across hospital, community and regional POCT services:

  • Hear different approaches to governance, accreditation, connectivity and competency 
  • Share practical ideas with colleagues facing similar pressures around staffing, resources and service expansion 
  • Learn how other POCT services are supporting safe testing beyond hospital settings 
  • Benchmark your own service against different models, structures and ways of working 
  • Use the split afternoon sessions to explore local priorities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland 
  • Build professional connections that continue beyond the event and support future collaboration

Part of the POCT series

“Really useful content with lots of practical advice and ideas for how to move POCT services forwards” POCT National Networking Forum 2026, London

SBK Healthcare delivers established POCT networking forums across England, bringing together POCT leaders, laboratory specialists and service teams to share practical learning and real-world service developments.

We are pleased to expand this successful series with our first dedicated all-Ireland conference in Dublin, creating a new opportunity for colleagues across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to connect, collaborate and learn from one another.

Sponsored by

SBK Healthcare would like to thank Roche for sponsoring this educational forum. 

Exhibiting

Invitation to sponsor

SBK Healthcare National Conferences are designed to enable providers to support healthcare professionals

If you would like to sponsor this forum, please email Vanessa Jarman or call Vanessa on 01732 897788 to find out about all the engagement and branding opportunities available in the full sponsorship package.

9:00
Registration and networking opportunity
9:30
Introduction, instructions and chair’s opening remarks
Paudy O’Gorman, Laboratory Manager, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital; former POCT Lead, National MedLIS Project & Dr Jenny Hamilton, Chair and Consultant Clinical Biochemist, Northern Ireland POCT Specialty Forum and Southern Health and Social Care Trust
All-Ireland update
9:40
The future of POCT across all-Ireland
  • Mapping the current POCT landscape across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
  • Highlighting shared priorities for accreditation, connectivity, workforce and community care
  • Exploring how POCT can support safe, sustainable service development across all-Ireland
Paudy O’Gorman, Laboratory Manager, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital; former POCT Lead, National MedLIS Project & Dr Jenny Hamilton, Chair and Consultant Clinical Biochemist, Northern Ireland POCT Specialty Forum and Southern Health and Social Care Trust
9:55
Questions and answers with your speakers
Governance, quality management and accreditation
10:05
Achieving accreditation and maintaining quality in POCT services
  • Establishing governance structures that support consistent, well-managed POCT services
  • Learning how established POCT teams maintain quality across growing and complex services
  • Preparing for accreditation through practical approaches to compliance, EQA and comparability
Helen Caverley, POCT Quality Coordinator and Senior Medical Scientist for Point of Care Testing, Cork University Hospital
10:35
Questions and answers with your speaker
10:45
Interactive discussion: Strengthening POCT governance, quality and accreditation in practice
  • What governance structures support consistent, well-managed POCT services?
  • How are teams approaching ISO/UKAS accreditation, and what has worked well?
  • What practical approaches help teams maintain quality day to day?
11:05
Refreshments and networking break
Connected and competent POCT
11:25
Scaling POCT through connectivity, training and competency
  • Connecting POCT devices, middleware, laboratories and EPR systems to support off-site testing
  • Maintaining operator competency through training, compliance and online platforms
  • Supporting off-site and community POCT through reliable digital systems and workforce structure
Noreen Montgomery, Chief Medical Scientist, Clinical Biochemistry, Sligo University Hospital
11:55
Questions and answers with your speaker
Clinical effectiveness and patient impact
12:05
Demonstrating the clinical value of POCT in patient pathways
  • Showing how POCT supports faster decision-making and improved patient care
  • Using audit data and pathway metrics to measure clinical effectiveness
  • Case study: evaluating POCT impact in ED, cardiology or acute care pathways
12:35
Questions and answers with your speaker
12:45
Refreshments and networking lunch
Afternoon parallel streams
At this point you will choose either the Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland stream for the afternoon sessions
1:50
Northern Ireland - POCT and the Neighbourhood Programme: Diagnostics closer to home
  • Supporting neighbourhood care models across frailty, palliative care, obesity and respiratory pathways
  • Identifying the right POCT tests for safe rollout in community settings
  • Managing community POCT safely through lab-led governance, quality and oversight
Professor Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Department of Health
Republic of Ireland - Expanding POCT into community settings
  • Supporting the safe rollout of POCT beyond hospital settings
  • Developing connected POCT pathways across acute, outreach and community services
  • Case study: improving care and reducing admissions through Galway’s COPD Virtual Care Pathway
Clare Connolly, Respiratory CNS - COPD Outreach and COPD Virtual Care Pathway, University Hospital Galway
2:00
Questions and answers with your speakers
2:30
Northern Ireland - Interactive discussion: Delivering community POCT through neighbourhood care
  • What POCT, IT and workforce support needs to be involved from the start of community POCT projects?
  • What would be needed to set up a Community POCT team outside secondary care?
  • What governance is needed for Community POCT, including the role of UKAS accreditation?
Republic of Ireland - Interactive discussion: Supporting safe POCT expansion beyond hospital settings
  • What are the biggest challenges when rolling out POCT beyond hospital settings?
  • How are teams managing requests for new community POCT tests and devices?
  • What evidence, staffing and infrastructure are needed to support sustainable service growth?
2:50
Refreshments and networking break
3:10
Northern Ireland - Optimising POCT through coordinated regional management
  • Considering how managed service contracts can support standardised POCT delivery
  • Understanding the Once for NI approach to procurement, POCT IT and service consistency
  • Recognising the savings achieved through a unified regional approach
Roisin McDonald, Divisional Head of Procurement, Procurement and Logistics Service (PaLS), Business Services Organisation
Republic of Ireland - Making the case for POCT resources, staffing, and facilities
  • Building stronger business cases for additional POCT posts, CDM support and service expansion
  • Securing the right space, rooms and infrastructure for safe POCT delivery
  • Case study: using a POCT staffing survey to benchmark resources and support investment
Dr Michael O’Meara, Specialist Registrar in Chemical Pathology, Tallaght University Hospital
3:40
Questions and answers with your speakers
3:50
Chair’s closing remarks
4:00
Close of conference

Call for speakers

If you would like to give a presentation and share your work or the work of your service at this face-to-face course, we would be delighted to hear from you.

To discuss speaking opportunities please email the conference producer, Mariana Mason or call Mariana on 01732 897788.

Your expert speaker line-up:

Hear from experienced POCT leaders, laboratory specialists and clinical experts from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, sharing real-world insight into connected, accredited and sustainable point-of-care testing:

Helen Caverley
Job Title:
POCT Quality Coordinator and Senior Medical Scientist for Point of Care Testing
Organisation
Cork University Hospital
Biography

I am a Senior Medical Scientist in Cork University Hospital with over 25 years’ experience working in Laboratory Medicine, across Biochemistry, Immunology and Point of Care Disciplines. I have an MSc in Biomedical Science and am currently undertaking an MSc in Leadership in Healthcare. I have acted as Quality Coordinator for POCT and as Deputy Quality Manager for Laboratory Medicine, CUH for the last 5 years. During this time, I have been responsible for taking the POCT department from establishment to full ISO15189:2022 accreditation status for all POCT devices. My current role involves extending POCT out to community services.
Dr Michael O’Meara
Job Title:
Specialist Registrar in Chemical Pathology
Organisation
Tallaght University Hospital
Biography

Michael O’Meara is a Specialist Registrar in Chemical Pathology. Prior to this Michael spent time as a renal registrar, haematology and transfusion registrar and completed the basic specialist training scheme in internal medicine and medical membership exams and is now working towards completion of FRCPath exams. Michael was also a medical scientist in clinical chemistry many years ago in St James’ Hospital.
Professor Cathy Harrison
Job Title:
Chief Pharmaceutical Officer
Organisation
Department of Health
Biography
Dr Jenny Hamilton
Job Title:
Chair and Consultant Clinical Biochemist
Organisation
Northern Ireland POCT Specialty Forum and Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Biography
Paudy O’Gorman
Job Title:
Laboratory Manager; former POCT Lead, National MedLIS Project
Organisation
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital
Biography

Paudy O Gorman in an experienced laboratory practitioner with particular interest in digital transformation. Paudy is the Laboratory Manager in the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH), Dublin. MMUH is a level 4 teaching hospital providing a range of frontline and specialist services on a regional and national level. The Mater is the National centre for Heart and Lung Transplant, ECMO, HIPEC, and Spinal Injuries to mention but a few.  

Before taking up his current role Paudy worked as Point Of Care Testing Manager in two of Dublin’s larger University Teaching Hospitals and as Robotic Process Automation Lead & Project Facilitator with the Mater Transformation team delivering major change projects across the hospital.

Paudy is also a Lean practitioner holding a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma. Paudy was formerly POCT Lead for the National MedLIS Project in Ireland and was the MedLIS Implementation Lead for the Mater Hospital. Paudy was responsible for the implementation of NPEx in the Mater during 2020 
Roisin McDonald
Job Title:
Divisional Head of Procurement
Organisation
Procurement and Logistics Service (PaLS), Business Services Organisation
Biography
Noreen Montgomery
Job Title:
Chief Medical Scientist, Clinical Biochemistry
Organisation
Sligo University Hospital
Biography
Clare Connolly
Job Title:
Respiratory CNS - COPD Outreach and COPD Virtual Care Pathway
Organisation
University Hospital Galway
Biography

Pricing structure

  • Places are free for HSC, HSE and public sector professionals only
  • Commercial companies are invited to sponsor this day, please email Vanessa Jarman for further details

Although your place is free of charge failure to attend without written cancellation with at least 5 working days’ notice will result in a £100 charge. If your circumstances change and you find yourself no longer able to attend, please can you inform us in writing by emailing the bookings team, 5 working days prior to the event taking place. 

Substitution attendees for delegates unable to attend after registering are acceptable at any time.

Venue details

Venue name: CityNorth Hotel & Conference Centre, Ireland

Address: Gormanston, Co. Meath, K32 W562, Ireland

Tel: +353 1 6906666

Email: meetings@citynorthhotel.com

Travel details

By Car

CityNorth Hotel & Conference Centre is located just off Junction 7 on the M1 Dublin to Belfast motorway, approximately 25–30 minutes from Dublin City Centre.

The venue offers complimentary on-site parking, including EV charging facilities for delegates travelling by car.

By Train

The nearest rail station is Gormanston Train Station, located approximately 4km from the venue. The station is served by Irish Rail commuter services operating between Dublin and Drogheda/Dundalk, with taxi and local transfer options available to the hotel.

By Bus / Coach

Matthews Coaches operate regular services between Dublin City Centre and Drogheda, with stops located directly outside the hotel, providing convenient access for delegates travelling by coach or bus.

By Air

Dublin Airport is approximately a 15 minute drive from the venue via the M1 motorway, making the hotel easily accessible for both domestic and international delegates.

Further travel and location information can be found here: CityNorth Hotel Location & Transport Information

What happens once you have made your booking?

Once you have booked your place, SBK Healthcare will correspond with you using the email address you provided at the time of booking and you will be sent a formal confirmation. If you have not received this within 48 hours of making your booking please check your junk folder and then email bookings@sbk-healthcare.co.uk or call 01732 897788. .

Approximately one week prior to the conference you will be sent an email which will include all the final details for attendance on the day, including a final agenda and venue information.

Please inform us by writing to bookings@sbk-healthcare.co.uk if you have any special dietary or other requirements.

Reservations

If your funding has not yet been secured or you would like to hold your place with no obligation, you can reserve your place with us. Please email the reservations team at SBK Healthcare with your details:

  • Booking contact: name, job title, department, email and telephone number
  • Event(s) to reserve for: title and date
  • Delegate details (for each delegate): name, job title, department, email and telephone number
  • Organisation details: name and address

Alternatively you can make a confirmed booking by emailing the above information to the bookings team 

Terms and conditions

Modify registration

To let us know if your details are not correct when you have already registered, please email bookings@sbk-healthcare.co.uk.

Cancellations and substitutions

Although your place is free of charge failure to attend without written cancellation with at least 5 working days’ notice will result in a £100 charge. If your circumstances change and you find yourself no longer able to attend, please can you inform us in writing by emailing the bookings team, 5 working days prior to the event taking place. Substitution attendees for delegates unable to attend after registering are acceptable at any time.

Conference changes

It may be necessary for reasons beyond the control of the conference organisers to alter the content, speakers or the timing of the programme. We will endeavour to keep you abreast of such changes. Should the event be postponed, we will endeavour to reschedule the event. We do not accept any liability for any incurred costs resulting from a postponement or cancellation.

Certificate of attendance

A certificate for Continuing Professional Development will be given to every attendee, as a record of continuing professional training and development.

Privacy notices

To view the details on how your data is being collected and used, please view our Privacy policy.

Expected attendees

This face-to-face conference is ideal for professionals involved in the delivery, governance, quality, expansion or management of point-of-care testing. Book your place and join colleagues from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, including:

  • POCT Managers, Coordinators and Leads 
  • Laboratory, Quality and Accreditation Managers 
  • Clinical Scientists, Biomedical Scientists and Medical Scientists 
  • Consultant Clinical Biochemists and Chemical Pathologists 
  • Pathology, Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine Leads 
  • Service Managers and Operational Leads 
  • Community, Acute and Off-Site Testing Leads 
  • Clinical teams using or developing POCT services 
  • Digital, IT, Middleware and Connectivity Leads supporting POCT delivery

Past attendee feedback

Across our POCT events, the focus is always on practical learning that reflects the pressures, priorities and opportunities facing services now. Delegates value hearing from experienced speakers, discussing real service challenges and connecting with colleagues who are working through similar issues. Hear what previous attendees have taken from our POCT events, from useful ideas and shared experience to practical actions they can bring back to their own teams:

“The depth of insight from this range of specialist speakers was invaluable.”

POCT National Networking Forum, March, 2026

“Great to network with like-minded individuals and take ideas away to help improve own POCT service.”

POCT National Networking Forum, March, 2026

“Excellent talks and networking opportunity.”

POCT National Networking Forum, March, 2026

“All the speakers and their topics were very interesting and different, providing a wide perspective.”

POCT National Networking Forum, March, 2026

“Informative and helpful for our own POCT service moving forwards.”

Implementing Pharmacogenetic POCT Devices Nationally Webinar, January, 2026

“Excellent network event with extremely useful updates in POCT.”

POCT National Networking Forum, March, 2025

“Fantastic agenda, relevant and pertinent.”

POCT National Networking Forum, March, 2025

“Very good. Excellent knowledge-sharing.”

POCT National Networking Forum, March, 2025

View further comments on SBK Healthcare events on Trust Pilot.

Confirmed sponsor

At Roche, we support healthcare with a patient-focused approach. Our Near Patient Care offering combines Point of Care (POC) diagnostics and digital integration, enabling diagnostic testing across decentralised settings – from hospitals and emergency departments to GP practices, pharmacies, and home care.

Confirmed exhibitors

 

Why sponsor?

Our role at SBK Healthcare is to bring industry together with healthcare professionals so that you can educate and inform your audience. These trail-blazing forums offer dedicated presentation, Q&A, networking and discussion time, each sponsor will be full immersed into the event and able to effectively engage with your NHS audience.

Your event, managed by us

SBK Healthcare also provides in-house forums. Working closely with you as the client we can research, produce, market and deliver the conference or online forum that best suits the audience and meets your goals.

Reach out today

If you would like more information on our sponsorship options an in-house forum or if you wish to discuss your needs and what solutions may be appropriate for your business, please contact: 

Vanessa Jarman
Contact: 01732 897788 
Email: vanessa.jarman@sbk-healthcare.co.uk