The decisions fulfil the Minister's commitment to implementing the reforms to ensure a significant local presence of HSC jobs regardless of their headquarter function. They also maximise the use of current HSC accommodation.
The key decisions from April 2009 are as follows:
- The Health and Social Care Board headquarters will be in the current Eastern Health and Social Services Board building in Linenhall Street, Belfast.
- The Public Health Agency headquarters will be based in Stoney Road, Dundonald until March 2010, with other Belfast based agency staff, such as the Health Promotion Agency, remaining in their current locations. Work will start immediately on a longer term solution for the agency headquarters in Belfast which is intended to be in an area that will reflect its role in addressing health inequalities.
- Both the HSC Board and the Public Health Agency headquarters will be supported by four co-located Commissioning Support Units in the existing locations of Londonderry, Armagh, Ballymena and Belfast.
- The Business Services Organisation (BSO) headquarters will be located on an interim basis at the Central Services Agency (CSA) headquarters in Franklin Street, Belfast. It is anticipated that those staff who will be part of the BSO, who are not currently based in the CSA, will remain in their current location, including those based in Londonderry.
- The BSO will undertake a further comprehensive option appraisal to determine the location and accommodation for the shared services centres. The exercise will also determine the permanent headquarters of the BSO which will be sited outside Belfast.
- The Patient and Client Council headquarters will be in Antrim. The five local offices will be in the four existing locations of Broughshane, Belfast, Lurgan and Omagh. The new local office for the south eastern area will be located in Newtownards.
These arrangements will mean that at least 80% of staff will remain in their current location.
Making the announcement, the Minister said: “The location of the new organisations has understandably been a matter of great concern for staff. I have however consistently given my assurance that regardless of the headquarter function, each organisation will have a strong local presence and I am now delivering on this. Health and Social Care has a proud tradition of job dispersal right across Northern Ireland and that will continue.
Outlining the rationale for the location decisions, the Minster continued: “Both the HSC Board and the Public Health Agency will have a significant regional remit that will require them to work closely with each other, as well as with my department. Locating their headquarters in Belfast facilitates this interrelationship and means that each has ready access to one another.
“These headquarters will however only involve a relatively small number of staff from each organisation, with the majority being based in local support units in their current locations. The HSC Board and Public Health Agency staff will be co-located throughout Northern Ireland, working with local communities to be responsive to their needs, as well as delivering real and sustained improvements in their health and well-being and reducing health inequalities.”
The Patient and Client Council headquarters will be in Antrim, with five local locations to reflect its role in representing the views of patients, clients and carers across Northern Ireland. The local offices are based in the same geographical areas as the HSC Trusts.
Turning to the Business Services Organisation, the Minister continued: “The Business Services Organisation will provide a range of important support services that are vital to the success of the health and social care system and will deliver real value for money. Although the permanent location of the headquarters has not been determined, I can confirm that it will not be in Belfast.
The Minister concluded: “Minimising disruption to staff has of course been high on the agenda when determining locations and in the main, the majority of staff will remain where they are. There will of course be a some staff who could potentially be affected and in these instances all reasonable steps will be taken to reduce the impact.”
The Minister will also engage with Executive colleagues in response to the recommendations of the Bain Review. Given that the process will inevitably take some time, it was imperative that the department continued with its work, in line with current guidance, to determine the location of the new health and social care bodies that will be established on 1 April 2009.
Notes to Editors:
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