Cognate Health, the leading nationwide occupational health provider, has announced the appointment of Dr Shane Farrelly as its new Senior Medical Consultant in response to the company’s rapid growth. With over 30 years’ experience as an expert in international occupational medicine, Dr Farrelly will be responsible for providing health-related advice and expertise to clients navigating the pandemic, along with informing risk assessment and policy recommendations in line with guidelines.
Dr Farrelly is a Consultant and Chief Medical Officer to a number of international companies, providing guidance to corporate health departments on the design and implementation of global occupational health programmes. He is currently assisting large-scale companies across the United Kingdom and Europe introduce antigen testing to enable their staff to work safely.
Through his appointment as Independent Medical Assessor to the Irish State Claims Agency (2001) and the Irish Public Bodies Mutual Insurances (1991), Dr Farrelly gained significant experience in the medical assessment of employer liability related cases. In 2014, he was appointed as one of three Senior Medical Advisors to the Irish Health & Safety Authority.
Speaking on the new appointment, Cognate Health CEO Paula Cogan said: “We are delighted to welcome Dr Farrelly to the team. COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on the vital role Senior Medical Consultants are playing in this pandemic within companies, developing and implementing strategies that take care of employees’ physical and mental health, as well as overseeing workplace safety.
“Dr Farrelly will have a critical role to play in protecting the health and wellbeing of our clients’ employees, customers, and the public. With his 30 years in the industry, his experience is integral, not only for today’s extenuating circumstances around procedures like vaccinations and antigen testing, but also for our ongoing focus in the key areas of employee health, customer safety, and compliance.”
Cognate Health provides the most progressive occupational health services, with a team of over 80 supporting 120,000 employees across the country. Its national network of occupational health physicians was the first of its kind in the country, with specialist expertise across a number of sectors including construction, ICT, pharmaceutical, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, finance, public sector and retail.
On his new position at Cognate Health, Dr Farrelly stated: “Since the beginning of COVID-19, many organisations have been unequipped to understand the unknowns that this pandemic might present. Now, more than ever, these organisations have a critical role to play in protecting the health of their workers and customers. As a Senior Medical Consultant, I look forward to bringing my expertise in risk identification and mitigation protocols to Cognate Health and to their clients, along rehabilitation and strategic case management to significantly reduce short, medium and long-term absenteeism.”