We are delighted to welcome back Mr Damien O’Dowd as the new Chief Executive to Saint John of God Hospital and its associated services Mental Health First Aid Ireland and St John of God Dementia Care at St Joseph’s Centre.

Damien’s appointment sees his return to St John of God Hospital having commenced his career there in the 1990’s. Damien is a senior healthcare executive and director with over twenty years’ experience at leadership and senior level management level within healthcare organisations and services in both the private and voluntary healthcare sectors.  He has most recently held Senior Consultant and Director roles in Vision Consulting and Virtus Health respectively and was Chief Executive of the Bloomfield Health Service between the years 2011 and 2018.  

He is highly effective in change management and operational management of busy and complex healthcare organisations with particular experience of planning and delivering risk management, quality assurance & accreditation systems. He is equally recognised for his experience in developing systems of governance at both clinical and corporate levels in healthcare and related organisations and also has extensive experience in regulatory preparedness & compliance. Damien has a strong business growth and service development acumen with wide experience of financial management & healthcare funding.  Damien holds a Masters Graduate of the School of Law, Queens University Belfast and an MBA Graduate of the Smurfit Graduate School of Business, University College Dublin. He also lectures in management and leadership at undergraduate and post graduate levels.