Presentation of ISO 9001:2000 to the Mid-Western Health Board

On Friday 28 May 2004 At The Georgian House, Limerick

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Thank you for that introduction and may I also say what a pleasure it is to join you all here today to acknowledge the high standards set – and met - by the Mid-Western Health Board in attaining the Standard of Service provision and Quality Management Systems required as part of the ISO 9000 certification process.

We are fortunate that this presentation is taking place in such an impressive building. I understand that these terraced houses in Perry Square are the finest example of Georgian architecture in the City and that this house in particular has been restored to its former glory by the Limerick Civic Trust. In fact, President McAleese officially re-opened the building at the end of the millennium. This helps to make the occasion of the presentation today even more memorable.

ISO 9000 is the most readily recognised management standard that can be applied across all businesses and it facilitates their implementation of a Quality Management System. It shows how an organisation should go about ensuring the provision of a consistent service that fulfils both customer and regulatory requirements. The revision of the standard in December 2000 was aimed at widening the applicability of the standard throughout a company and not just to have it confined to the QUALITY department.

The Mid-Western Health Board, as a service provider, is one of the many organisations that the NSAI are asked to certify on a regular basis. No organisation, however, can provide a greater service than saving lives. The aim of the Irish Cervical Screening Programme (ICSP) is to reduce the incidence and mortality from cervical cancer, and this quality certification is testament to ICSP’s ongoing commitment to providing its customers with the utmost standards in quality service.

With a growing demand among the public for quality services and products – and more importantly, verifiably high service standards – everyone that interacts with the public has to examine their operations closely. In order to be certified to ISO 9001:2000 the ICSP have fulfilled their customers requirements, while aiming to enhance customer satisfaction and achieve continual improvements of its performance in pursuit of these objectives.

I was extremely impressed by the website of the Mid-Western Health Board with its slogan ‘For the health and well-being of our community’. It was particularly pleasing to see the ICSP prominently displayed on the Home Page.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the embodiment of transparency and openness that the public are constantly seeking and it is so encouraging to see the public service – and the Irish Cervical Screening Programme of the Mid-Western Health Board in particular – rise to the challenge of a sophisticated and informed customer. I wish the management and staff of the Mid-Western Health Board continued success in the exciting years ahead.

It now gives me great pleasure to call on Dr. Marian Woods to receive the award of ISO 9001:2000 on behalf of the Mid-Western Health Board and all the people that have worked so hard to meet this exacting international standard.

ENDS/TC 103