Eastern HSS Council Website - 10 year report 1

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Making Your Voice Heard.. The first decade of the Eastern Health and Social Services Council

In the beginning...1991-1992

Its 1991. The United Kingdom's health service is undergoing a radical programme of reform. Here in Northern Ireland, this process is changing the landscape of both our health and social services. The four health and social services Boards are taking on new roles as 'commissioners' of services with services delivered by newly created self-governing Trusts.

Emerging from this challenging environment is the Eastern Health and Social Services Council - a new organisation established by government to give voice to and represent the interests of individuals, groups and the wider community on their health and social services.

The Council's objectives at first glance appeared relatively modest. It was to:

keep health and social services under review
recommend improvements to these services and
offer advice to the Eastern Health and Social Services Board

The Council was to pursue these objectives through a membership of 30, of whom 12 were nominated by district councils, and a further 18 drawn from across a range of voluntary and community organisations.

The Council's first full public meeting took place in September 1991. Since then, the Council has met in public every month, and at venues that have full access for people with a disability.

After its inception, the first major task for the Council was to get its business firmly up and running. Its first year was characterised by fact-finding, consolidating the new membership and getting briefed about the many and often complex issues facing the health and social services at that time.

By the end of the year, the Council was successfully getting down to business - and was ready to make its mark...

: 1991 : 1992 : 1993 : 1994 : 1995 : 1996 : 1997 : 1998 : 1999 : 2000 :

Eastern Health and Social Services Council, 1st Floor, Lesley House, 25-27 Wellington Place, Belfast, BT1 6GQ
Freephone: 0800 917 0222 Fax: (028) 9032 1750 Minicom: (028) 9032 1285
E-mail:ecouncil@ehssc.n-i.nhs.uk