Postdoctoral Researcher/Research Associate: Patient Involvement in Patient Safety- The PIPS Project-School of Medicine, University of Galway 011229

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a full-time, fixed term position as a Postdoctoral Researcher with the Discipline of General Practice and the Irish Centre for Applied Patient Safety and Simulation at the University of Galway, Ireland.

This position is funded by the Health Research Board and is available from December 1st 2025 to contract end date of November 31st 2028 (36 months).

The PIPS Project

Approximately 12% of adult inpatients in Irish hospitals will experience an adverse event, with the vast majority (70%) preventable. Each adverse event costs approximately 5,550e. Although efforts to understand and improve patient safety have become increasingly commonplace, the patient ‘voice’ has largely been ignored. Current practices position the patient as passive, merely experiencing safety incidents and healthcare delivery, and fail to recognise the active role patients can play in ensuring safe care. The Irish Health Service Executive’s Patient Safety Strategy includes “Empowering and Engaging Patients to Improve Patient Safety” as a key goal.

Accordingly, the aim of the PIPS Project is to utilise existing research, relevant theory, and stakeholder engagement to co-design an approach to involving patients in safety data collection in adult inpatient hospital care. The PIPS project will draw upon existing literature, prior learning internationally from experiences of implementing approaches to involving patients in safety data collection, and engagement with all stakeholders in order to support the co-design of an approach to involving patients in safety data collection. The proposed research will provide evidence-based

guidance for policy makers, health service managers, and health service providers on ‘how’ patients can best be involved in safety data collection to support improved patient safety.

Salary: Postdoctoral Researcher salary scale €45,846 - €58,481 per annum, (subject to the project’s funding limitations), and pro rata for shorter and/or part-time contracts.

Closing date for receipt of applications is 17:00 (Irish Time) on Friday, 5th September 2025.  It will not be possible to consider applications received after the closing date. 

Interviews are planned to be held on Monday, 29th September 2025. 

*Please review full job description for further details and essential requirement