About AFI
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Our Mission
Acuity Foundation Ireland (AFI) is a public charity headquartered in Dublin. In conjunction with the Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital and their academic partners, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Acuity Foundation Ireland is committed to the education of future health care professionals, as well as the education of the public concerning the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the diseases in its specialties and concerning the rehabilitation of patients handicapped by these diseases. In order to provide the highest quality of contemporary care and even better care in the future, Acuity Foundation Ireland funds laboratory and clinical research in auditory and visual diseases. Acuity Foundation Ireland is committed to excellence in patient care, teaching and research in Dublin, Ireland and the world.
Our Vision
To establish a preeminent world-wide center for advances and leaders in preserving and restoring vision, hearing, balance and voice, as well as in curing disorders of the head and neck. We will achieve this vision through our mission:
- Supporting exceptional clinical care
- Funding cutting-edge translational and clinical research
- Committing to tomorrow’s leaders and today’s medical community
Today
Today, the RVEEH is a Centre of Excellence for ophthalmology and otolaryngology, with a subspecialty expertise to treat some of the most complex cases. The hospital provides academic and clinical training to undergraduate and post-graduate students from the Royal College of Surgeons, Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin. Research in both ophthalmology and otolaryngology is undertaken in partnership with the academic institutions.
The hospital is well positioned to address the significant out-patient and elective surgery waiting list issues in the health system. A key strength of the hospital is the ability to provide high volume scheduled care which is not impacted by the ongoing commitment to provide unscheduled care in both ophthalmology and otolaryngology.
The RVEEH has developed a reputation for prudent financial management and self-help. The new Cataract Unit was funded, not by the taxpayer, but by the RVEEH Teaching and Development Foundation. While the Hospital has demonstrated its strong track record of financial management and operates at, or around, breakeven every year, it has kept within its HSE allocation for each of the last ten years.
Acuity Foundation Ireland is committed to excellence in patient care, teaching and research in Dublin, Ireland and the world.
A Specialist hospital
The RVEEH is a standalone specialist hospital. Many of the top-ranked eye and ENT hospitals in the UK, USA and Australia are stand-alone hospitals, which add greater value to the health system as specialist hospitals as distinct from general hospital complexes.
The Federation of Specialist Hospitals in the UK has produced several reports outlining the importance and value of specialist hospitals to the wider health system. Specifically, they reference the role specialist hospitals play:
In delivering high quality outcomes for patients with rare and complex conditions
In raising the bar for routine treatments, with high volume throughput capability for common conditions (A Report on the Outcomes Achieved by Specialist Hospitals, May 2014).
In fostering a culture of research and innovation (Understanding the Performance and Potential of Specialist Hospitals, November 2018)
The RVEEH Strategy 2021/2026 is based on the Hospital continuing to operate as a specialist hospital, connected into the wider health system.
Our Values
- Quality health care: To provide a quality, safe, effective patient centred service.
- Integrity and leadership: To promote integrity, effective leadership and teamwork within the organisation to continuously improve the standards of care delivered.
- Responsiveness: Understanding and meeting the needs of the patients.
- Achieving together: Collaborating for improvement through ongoing consultation, partnerships and teamwork.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
The RVEEH is committed to continually improving the quality of care that the hospital provides. The annual Quality and Safety Programme outlines how that improvement will take place on an annual basis. The Quality and Safety Executive led by the Clinical Director is responsible for the delivery of the programme. Oversight of the development of the annual quality and safety programme and its delivery is provided by a subcommittee of Council, which is chaired by a non-executive director.
The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Quality and Safety Programme focuses on the continuous enhancement of safety for all patients, visitors and staff through:
- The development and implementation of the quality improvement and patient safety programme.
- Implementation of processes to measure, assess data, plan change, and sustain improvements in quality and patient safety.
- The provision of staff education on quality improvement processes.
- Implementing a structure and process for monitoring and coordinating the quality improvement and patient safety programme.