Prof J Bernard Walsh
Consultant Physician and Clinical Professor
The Mercer’s Institute’s Bone Health and Osteoporosis Unit in St James’s Hospital was founded by Prof J Bernard Walsh who is Consultant Physician in the MedEL Directorate and Clinical Professor in Trinity College Dublin. He was a Previous Visiting Professor to the University of California in San Francisco and Consultant Physician in Durham, England. Graduated from University College Cork, he trained in Cork, Mater Hospital Dublin, King’s College Hospital London and the Royal Liverpool Hospital.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of London and Edinburgh, Member of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, and is the author of over a hundred peer reviewed papers. He has extensive experience on the use of PTH as an anabolic treatment in patients with severe osteoporosis and has also taken a National and European lead in Vitamin D milk supplementation.
Dr Kevin McCarroll
Consultant Physician
Kevin McCarroll is a consultant physician and geriatrician specialising in bone health and osteoporosis at St James’s Hospital, Dublin. He graduated in medicine from Trinity College, Dublin and did his postgraduate training in Dublin University hospitals. He completed a clinical fellowship at the Mercer’s Institute for Research on Ageing and was awarded a doctorate in Medicine for his thesis on vitamin D and it’s relationship to cognition, blood pressure, falls and mood.
His research interests include vitamin D, bone health and cognitive impairment. He is a co-investigator in the TUDA (Trinity, Ulster, Dept. of Agriculture) study which comprises 5200 Irish adults aged over 60 and from which peer reviewed research on vitamin D, dairy intakes and bone health has been published.
He co-runs the bone health unit and orthogeriatric liaison service at St James’s Hospital and is also a clinical senior lecturer in medical gerontology at Trinity College, Dublin.
Dr. Rosaleen Lannon
Consultant Physician
Rosaleen Lannon is a consultant physician in geriatric medicine in St James’s Hospital. She is a graduate of University College Dublin and completed higher specialist training in geriatric medicine and general internal medicine between Dublin and Galway. She spent 3 years as clinical fellow in Bone Health at the Mercer’s Institute for Research on Ageing. Her special interests are bone health and osteoporosis, stroke and residential care.
Currently she is visiting geriatrician for Hollybrook Lodge Residential Unit in Inchicore as well as providing inpatient clinical care and rehabilitation services and working in the bone health unit at St James’s Hospital. She is also a clinical senior lecturer in medical gerontology at Trinity College, Dublin.
Georgina Steen
Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Fracture Liaison
Georgina has over 20 years experience in medical and gerontological nursing and has worked in the Bone Health Unit since 2005. She was recently appointed as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Fracture Liaison in 2022 having completed her Advanced Practice in the University of Limerick.
Nessa Fallon
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Bone Health and Falls Prevention
Nessa has over 20 years’ experience in acute, rehabilitation and extended care of the older person. Nessa is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in bone health and falls prevention since 2004. Nessa has completed a MSc in Gerontological Nursing in Trinity College Dublin in 2008 and qualified as a Registered Nurse Prescriber in 2023
Dr. Niamh Maher PhD
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Falls and Osteoporosis
Niamh Maher has 30 years experience in hospital based nursing including Medical, Midwifery and Gerontological nursing. Niamh has worked in the Bone Health Clinic since 2003. She has completed a MSc in Gerontological Nursing in 2000 and a PhD in 2014. Her PhD, undertaken with the School of Nursing and Midwifery, in Trinity College Dublin, focused on improving outcomes for older person hip fractures through early access to a bone health clinic. Niamh has contributed to research on all areas associated with bone health and osteoporosis.
Claire O Carroll
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Falls Prevention and Bone Health
Claire qualified as a general nurse in 2008 and completed a post graduate diploma in Gerontological Nursing in 2010. Claire has always been involved in the MedEl directorate, working as a staff nurse in the acute environment, progressing to a clinical nurse manager role in rehabilitative care. Claire also provided clinical support to MedEl for three years prior to starting her post in the Bone Health and Osteoporosis service in 2018.
Jennifer Caraher
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Falls Prevention and Bone Health
Jennifer has over 20 years experience working in St James’s Hospital in acute care of the older person. Jennifer completed a post graduate diploma in Gerontological Nursing, post graduate diploma in Dementia and a post graduate diploma in Palliative Care. Jennifer began working in the Bone Health Clinic in 2023.
Dr. Brendan McCarthy
Senior Clinical Fellow in Bone Health
Dr. Máire Rafferty
Bone Health Fellow