Rachel Simons, MSc Health Informatics, BSc Nursing Management, Foundation Diploma in Teaching Adults, RGN.

Rachel currently contributes to the Department of Health in the role of Nursing Project Manager in the Older Persons Policy Development Unit. Her role, in partnership with relevant stakeholders, is to strategically plan and develop national policies attending to the recommendations in the Nursing Home Expert Report (2020).

Having trained in London in 1993, Rachel continued to work in London in acute medical admissions, patient flow, discharge Planning, and clinical site management. Rachel moved to Dublin in 2003 and has worked in Community Health Organisations in older persons’ care spanning 19 years. During these years, Rachel was a Person in Charge of two public community nursing units, a Director of Nursing for Clinical Strategy, and a General Manager for older person’s services in the Community Healthcare Organisation of Dublin North City and County.

Rachel has a passion for ensuring that older persons living in the community receive person-centered care aligned with the vision of Slaintecare and has a keen interest in improving services for persons with a diagnosis of dementia. Rachel was the founding member of the second Alzheimer’s Café set up in Ireland and holds the position of Honorary Treasurer of the Irish Association of Directors of Nursing and Midwifery (IADNAM).