Professor Valerie Walshe

Dr. Walshe is the chief economist for the Health Service Executive. She has been involved in strategic and financial planning, promoting value-for-money, and developing efficient resource allocation methodologies for the Irish health services since 2001. She frequently advises the Department of Health and Children, the Health Information and Quality Authority, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics and the Health Research Board. She previously held various economic positions in the private sector including Smurfit Europe, PA Consulting Group and Ulster Bank.  In 2008 she received a PhD in pharmacology and therapeutics from the University of Dublin, Trinity College. She has numerous publications on topics such as pharmaceutical prescribing, health technology assessments, cost effectiveness analysis and the sustainability of public health expenditure. She has chaired and presented at many international conferences including Health Technology Assessment International and the International Society for Pharmaceutical and Outcomes Research.  In additional to her HSE role Dr. Walshe also lectures for the Royal College of Physicians Ireland and is a member of the Department of Health Universal Health Insurance Design Team.