Dr Barbara Whelan is a Research Fellow with Evidence Synthesis Ireland. She is involved in a review of the evidence support ecosystem in Ireland for health policymaking in order to analyse what is working well around the evidence-support system and what gaps should be prioritised to fill. This would then support decision-makers to draw upon the various forms of evidence that they need which is best suited to the questions they’re challenged with, when they need it. Barbara is also a Postdoctoral Researcher at the School of Nursing and Midwifery on the VENPREP project, which is examining pandemic preparedness and exploring the training on mechanical ventilation given to and received by nurses who were redeployed to work in intensive care units during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She has previously worked with Evidence Synthesis Ireland on a COVID-19 related research project, providing senior researcher support to the Department of Health’s Expert Advisory Group on Rapid Testing. She has over ten years’ experience of conducting health research and has worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Ulster, Sheffield University and University of Limerick. She has conducted research on innovative projects, which have aimed to raise awareness of breastfeeding through drama and financial incentives.
