Health and social care services must be driven by service users

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said he is committed to the delivery of health and social care services that are driven by the needs of people who use these services.

The Minister was speaking at the second annual User and Carer Conference, ‘Is Partnership Working?’. The conference provides an opportunity for users, carers, the community and voluntary sector and the Health and Social Care (HSC) organisations to share their experiences and ideas on involving people in their social care services.

Opening the conference in Lisburn, Michael McGimpsey said: “I am committed to health and social care services that are driven by the needs of patients, clients and their carers. They are the heart of everything that we do and must be our focus.

“I want our service to benefit from their knowledge and experience. The service is for them and should be designed around their needs."

The Minister continued: “Therefore, as part of the recent reform of health and social care, I have ensured that HSC organisations must actively involve service users and carers in the planning and delivery of the services they receive.

“To achieve this, I have asked my Department to work with HSC organisations and the Patient Client Council to ensure that a consistent approach is taken across the service to involve people in the design and delivery of services.”

The conference was jointly organised the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) and the NI Social Care Council (NISCC), in partnership with the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE).

Notes to editors:

1. The 2004 document ‘A Healthier Future – A Twenty Year Vision for Health and Wellbeing in Northern Ireland’ confirmed the Department’s commitment to the principle that it should be driven by, and be responsive to, the needs of patients and clients by highlighting the need for HSC organisations to provide high quality services, designed and delivered in partnership with patients, clients, carers and the wider population.
2. Guidance on personal and public involvement “Strengthening Personal and Public Involvement in Health and Social Services” was issued by the Department in 2007 to help HSC organisations improve the quality and effectiveness of user and public involvement as an integral part of good governance arrangements and to support the development of a more patient and user centred Health and Social Care Service.
3. The Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (NI) 2009 came into force on 1 April 2009. Section 19 of the Act places a legal obligation on the Department and HSC organisations to prepare and put in place Personal and Public Involvement Consultation Schemes outlining their commitment to ensuring that service users and carers are actively involved in the planning and delivery of the health and social care services they receive.
4. The Social Care Institute for Excellence is the national best practice body for social care. It identifies and disseminates the knowledge base for good practice in all aspects of social care throughout the United Kingdom.
5. The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority is the independent body responsible for monitoring and inspecting the availability and quality of health and social care services in Northern Ireland, and encouraging improvements in the quality of those services.
6. The NI Social Care Council is the regulatory body for the social care workforce in Northern Ireland.
7. Media enquiries to the DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 0074, or out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.