Research Profile

Conor Foley

Biography

I successfully completed my PhD studies in UCC in January 2014, where I researched the experiences of second level teachers in Ireland. My research explored how teachers perceive their working environment, how they cope with the challenges they face and the health implications of exposure to difficult working conditions.

Upon completing my doctoral studies, I took up a position at NUI Galway, researching the diversity profiles and motivations of applicants and entrants to initial teacher education (ITE) programmes in Ireland. This was an IRC-funded mixed-methods project, employing both large-scale surveys and semi-structured interviews in order to gather data.

Since November 2014 I have been employed as a postdoctoral researcher on the HRB-funded Study of the Impact of Reconfiguration on Emergency and Urgent Care Networks (SIREN), based in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCC. The aim of the SIREN project is to describe and evaluate the development and performance of different emergency and urgent care systems (EUCS) in Ireland and produce a framework for the future evaluation of EUCS in this country.



Research Interests

I am a health services researcher, currently investigating the impact of the reconfiguration of urgent and emergency care services in Ireland. The project involves exploring the perceptions of service users and other stakeholders, examining the distribution of resources for urgent and emergency care across the country and examining patient outcomes for a range of emergency conditions. I have employed a number of qualitative and quantitative methods in this project. The aim of this research is to understand the impact of re-organising and centralising emergency care provision. This is a very important area of research, as our findings will inform healthcare policy at national and international levels.




Publications

Book Chapters

 YearPublication
(2016)''Career Motivations of Student Teachers in the Republic of Ireland: Continuity and Change during Educational Reform and 'Boom to Bust' Economic Times''
Heinz, M., Keane, E., and Foley, C (2016) ''Career Motivations of Student Teachers in the Republic of Ireland: Continuity and Change during Educational Reform and 'Boom to Bust' Economic Times'' In: Helen M. G. Watt, Paul W. Richardson & Kari Smith (eds). Why Teach? How Teachers' Motivations Matter around the World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [Details]
(2013)'“A roller coaster ride” Thematic analysis of the experience of occupational stress in Irish teachers'
Foley, C. & Murphy, M. (2013) '“A roller coaster ride” Thematic analysis of the experience of occupational stress in Irish teachers' In: Stress and Anxiety: Applications to Health and Well-Being, Work Stressors, and Assessment’. Berlin: Logos Verlag.   [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

 YearPublication
(2017)'Understanding perspectives on major system change: A comparative case study of public engagement and the implementation of urgent and emergency care system reconfiguration'
Conor Foley, Elsa Droog, Orla Healy, Sheena McHugh, Claire Buckley, John Patrick Browne (2017) 'Understanding perspectives on major system change: A comparative case study of public engagement and the implementation of urgent and emergency care system reconfiguration'. Health Policy,   [Details]
(2017)'Patient experience of different regional models of urgent and emergency care: a cross-sectional survey study'
Foley C, Droog E, Boyce M, Healy O, Browne JP (2017) 'Patient experience of different regional models of urgent and emergency care: a cross-sectional survey study'. Bmj Open, 7 (3) [DOI] [Details]
(2015)'Burnout in Irish teachers: Investigating the role of individual differences, work environment and coping factors'
Foley, C. & Murphy, M. (2015) 'Burnout in Irish teachers: Investigating the role of individual differences, work environment and coping factors'. Teaching and Teacher Education, 50 :46-55 [Details]

Conference Publications

 YearPublication
(2016)Society for Social Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health 70(Suppl 1):A12.1-A12
Foley, C., Droog, E., Healy, O., Buckley, C., Boyce, M., Browne, JP. (2016) Understanding perspectives on major service changes: Exploring the development and communication of arguments for and against system reconfiguration Society for Social Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health 70(Suppl 1):A12.1-A12 [Details]

Professional Activities

Conference Contributions

 YearPublication
(2017)SPHeRE Network 3rd Annual Conference,
Foley, C., Droog, E., Healy, O, Buckley, C., Boyce, M., Browne, JP. (2017) Understanding perspectives on major service changes: Exploring the development and communication of arguments for and against system reconfiguration. [Oral Presentation], SPHeRE Network 3rd Annual Conference, Dublin . [Details]
(2016)Society for Social Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting,
Foley, C., Droog, E., Healy, O, Buckley, C., Boyce, M., Browne, JP. (2016) Understanding perspectives on major service changes: Exploring the development and communication of arguments for and against system reconfiguration. [Oral Presentation], Society for Social Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, York . [Details]
(2016)HSRUK Symposium,
Foley, C., Droog, E., Boyle, S., Browne, J.P. (2016) The use of a patient-reported experience measure to compare and improve urgent and emergency care systems. [Poster Presentation], HSRUK Symposium, Nottingham . [Details]
(2016)SPHeRE Network 2nd Annual Conference,
Foley, C., Droog, E., Boyle, S., Browne, J.P. (2016) Patient satisfaction with urgent and emergency care in Ireland: local, regional and international comparisons. [Poster Presentation], SPHeRE Network 2nd Annual Conference, Dublin . [Details]
(2016)SPHeRE Network 2nd Annual Conference,
Droog, E., Foley, C., Healy, O., Buckley, C., Boyce, M., McHugh, S., Browne, J.P. (2016) Developing reconfiguration plans for integrated urgent and emergency care systems: an examination of the perceived drivers of change. [Oral Presentation], SPHeRE Network 2nd Annual Conference, Dublin . [Details]
(2016)SPHeRE Network 2nd Annual Conference,
Foley, C., Droog, E., Healy, O, Buckley, C., Boyce, M., McHugh, S., Browne, J.P. (2016) Experiments in system reconfiguration: a typology of models for changing urgent and emergency care services in one country. [Oral Presentation], SPHeRE Network 2nd Annual Conference, Dublin . [Details]
(2015)Irish Association for Emergency Medicine, Annual Scientific Meeting,
Foley, C.; Droog, E.; Healy, O.; Buckley, C.; Boyce, M.; McHugh, S.; Browne, J. (2015) Developing reconfiguration plans for integrated urgent and emergency care systems: Examining the perceived drivers of change. [Poster Presentation], Irish Association for Emergency Medicine, Annual Scientific Meeting, Cork . [Details]
(2015)Global Implementation Conference,
Droog, E.; Healy, O.; Buckley, C.; Foley, C.; Boyce, M.; McHugh, S.; Browne, J. (2015) Developing the Reconfiguration Plans for Integrated Urgent and Emergency Care Systems [EUCS]: An examination of the consultation process, implementation and sustainability of decisions made. [Oral Presentation], Global Implementation Conference, Dublin . [Details]
(2015)Society for Social Medicine, 59th Annual Scientific Meeting,
Foley, C., Droog, E., Healy, O., Buckley, C., Boyce, M., McHugh, S., Browne, J.P. (2015) Experiments in system re-design: a typology of models for changing urgent and emergency care services in one country. [Poster Presentation], Society for Social Medicine, 59th Annual Scientific Meeting, Dublin . [Details]
(2015)Health Service Research Network Symposium,
Droog, E; Healy, O; Buckley, C; Foley, C; Boyce, M; McHugh, S; Browne, J. P (2015) Reconfiguring the Delivery of Urgent and Emergency Care: Drivers, Impact and Sustainability. Accepted oral presentation as part of proposed symposium session entitled Patterns of Health System Response to Austerity – Outcomes, Challenges, Questions. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Health Service Research Network Symposium, Nottingham, England . [Details]
(2015)Faculty of Public Health Medicine Summer Scientific Meeting,
Healy, O; Buckley, C. M; Droog, E; Foley, C; McHugh, S; Browne, J. P (2015) Analysis of emergency and urgent care system policy in Ireland, policy coherence and implementation. [Oral Presentation], Faculty of Public Health Medicine Summer Scientific Meeting, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Dublin . [Details]
(2015)American Educational Reseach Association Annual Meeting,
Keane, E., Heinz, M., and Foley, C (2015) Exploring Ethnicity in Initial Teacher Education: The Nationality/ies, Ethnicity/ies, and Experiences With Diversity of Student Teachers in Ireland. [Oral Presentation], American Educational Reseach Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois . [Details]
(2014)Association for Teacher Education in Europe, Winter Conference - Social Justice and Diversity in Teacher Education,
Keane, E., Heinz, M., and Foley, C. (2014) Continuity and Change: Examining the Diversity Profile of Initial Teacher Education Applicants and Entrants in Ireland 2006-2013. [Oral Presentation], Association for Teacher Education in Europe, Winter Conference - Social Justice and Diversity in Teacher Education, Budapest , 15-APR-14 - 17-FEB-15. [Details]
(2012)Stress and Anxiety Research International Conference,
Foley, C. & Murphy, M. (2012) A rollercoaster ride? Thematic analysis of the experience of stress in Irish teachers. [Oral Presentation], Stress and Anxiety Research International Conference, Mallorca, Spain , 02-JUL-12 - 04-JUL-12. [Details]

Employment

 EmployerPositionFrom / To
University College Cork Postdoctoral Researcher17-NOV-14 / 31-MAR-17
National University of Ireland, Galway Postdoctoral Researcher10-FEB-14 / 14-NOV-14

Education

 YearInstitutionQualificationSubject
2014UCC PhDPsychology
2009UCC PSYCHOLOGYPsychology
2008UCC BACHELOR OF ARTSHistory and Psychology

Teaching Activities

Teaching Interests

Between 2009 and 2012 I worked as an undergraduate tutor, teaching undergraduate students in the use qualitative and quantitative research methods. I also taught students on the application of statistical software in analysing data.
 
In the 2012/2013 academic year I lectured on two undergraduate modules : 

AP1110 - Science and Practice of Psychology
AP1123 - Introduction to Biological and Cognitive Perspectives on Psychology

In addition I have given seminars on the use of mixed-methods in research, statistics and the use of thematic analysis with qualitative data.


In 2014 I lectured on quantitative research methods to Master in Education students in NUIG

In 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 I coordinated the Introduction to Social Research in Public Health (Online) EH6079 module for the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health.  

Research Information

Internal Collaborators

 NameInstituteCountry
Dr. Mike Murphy School of Applied Psychology, UCCIRELAND

External Collaborators

 NameOrganisation / InstituteCountry
Dr. Elaine Keane School of Education, NUIGIRELAND
Dr. Manuela Heinz School of Education, NUIGIRELAND

Contact details

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University College Cork

Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh

College Road, Cork T12 K8AF

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