I will always be appreciative of the fact that ACCA gave me the opportunity to qualify as a mature student. I trained in practice, working both in Cork and Kerry, and genuinely believe that the broad ACCA syllabus has given me the opportunity to apply these skills to any situation in the workplace.
As quality and risk officer at the Bon Secours Hospital, I am responsible for the day-to-day running of the Quality Department. Key to this is ensuring ongoing, organisation-wide compliance with hospital accreditation standards, timely reviews and updates of policies and procedures, and the supervision and training of staff appointed to my department. I also oversee hospital-wide use and monitoring of quality management and auditing systems, and control of all hospital documentation.
I became an ACCA member at the age of 52
The Bon Secours Hospital is a private hospital established in 1921, with sister hospitals in Cork, Dublin, Galway and Limerick. The Tralee campus employs some 600 people, while there are over 4,500 staff and 500 medical consultants employed across the entire group. We recently completed a €15m expansion in our medical assessment unit, part of an overall group plan that will see €300m invested across the Bon Secours health system.
My journey to ACCA extended over a number of years, primarily as a result of some health issues. I initially studied for the CAT Qualification before progressing on to ACCA and becoming a member in 2025 at the age of 52. The fact that the exam process is now so flexible, with four sittings a year, certainly helped on many fronts.
After leaving school back in the 1990s, I initially qualified as an electrician. I went on to complete a diploma in physics with what is now the Institute of Technology, Tralee. As a result of a spinal injury, I left the electrical trade and needed to retrain. It was here that ACCA first entered my life. I studied at night with the then Tralee Regional Technical College, initially for the CAT.
Having just completed the ACCA exams, I aim to keep the momentum going around study. I recently completed a certificate in artificial intelligence in healthcare and I am currently studying for a diploma in data analytics. Once that is completed, I hope to start a course in forensic accounting.
Always take time out to mind your own physical and mental health
I believe in continuous learning as a way of updating skills and becoming more informed. Longer term, my career goal is to further my experience in risk and compliance and, hopefully, move into forensic accounting. I think that it’s important to upskill in different areas to become a better accountant.
I am fascinated by horology and have recently taken my interest in timepieces to a new level, undertaking some basic repairs on mechanical watches. I also trained to black belt in judo and represented Ireland internationally in the past, and have played rugby at a high level. I enjoy visiting new cities in Europe. Highlights in the last year include Seville, Cordoba and Venice.
The most important lessons I have learned in my career are to delegate the routine tasks, focus on value-adding information and always be ready to ask: ‘what does this mean?’ Keep up to date with any changes through continuous learning and invest time in prioritising tasks and your workload. Most importantly, always take time out to mind your own physical and mental health.
