COMMUNITY CONNECT... Your questions answered

As 2025 draws to a close, we’ve seen great progress across our digital transformation programmes. One such programme is Community Connect, HSE’s Digital for Care foundational digital transformation programme for Community Services.

Over the past year, Community Connect has been a major focus for teams across the country. With over a thousand staff engaged, design work underway, and preparations building towards implementation, we’ve gathered some of the most common questions about what the programme is, how it works, and what’s next in 2026.

What is Community Connect, and why is it important?

Community Connect is a single integrated solution that will deliver patient administration and some clinical functionalities in community services.

Today, many community services still rely on paper files or local systems that don’t talk to each other. This can lead to duplication, delays, and frustration for both staff and service users. Community Connect will transition current, mostly paper-based workflows into digital processes, moving towards paper-light processes for over 60,000 staff.  

This will help staff manage referrals, appointments, caseloads, and documentation in one place, improving the health service experience for everyone.

How has Community Connect engaged with staff and patients?

This programme has been co-designed with those who know community services best – the people who deliver and use them every day.

So far, more than 1,100 staff have taken part in workshops, generating over 10,000 data points that directly inform system design. A Patient Partner Panel ensures that lived experience is central to decision-making, while the Change Network, now with over 1,000 members, helps share updates and gather input from across the country.

These collaborations will continue into 2026, with the next steps focusing on the Blueprint launch and the Communications and Training Readiness campaign.

How does Community Connect fit with the wider digital health vision?

Community Connect is an important step towards the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR). Community Connect provides an interim but fully aligned solution that establishes national digital infrastructure, workflows, and data standards across community services.

While the NEHR will span all parts of the health service, Community Connect focuses specifically on community settings. In this way, it acts as a building block for Ireland’s broader digital health ecosystem.

When and where will Community Connect go live?

All regions will receive Single Point of Access (SPOA) functionality by June 2026, followed by phased implementation of full Community Connect features, starting with HSE Midwest in Q3 2026. The national rollout will continue through 2027, with full implementation expected by the end of that year.

How will staff be supported?

Training and Change Management support are core parts of the plan. Each region will have structured preparation activities, including e-learning, demonstrations, instructional videos, and a Train the Trainer model. Dedicated staff from the regions will play an active role in supporting colleagues, identifying challenges, and sharing best practic.

What is the Change Network?  

The Community Connect Change Network is a group of employees from all roles, services, and regions who are interested in shaping and supporting the programme. Members receive regular updates, early access to materials, and opportunities to participate in engagement events or feedback sessions.  

Whether you're frontline staff, a manager, or part of a support team, your voice matters. Join the network here 

Looking Ahead

As we head into 2026, Community Connect is moving from planning to delivery. The foundations laid this year will shape a more connected and efficient future for community healthcare in Ireland.