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Publications Annual Report 2004/2005
Annual Review 2004/05 Highlights
of the year at the Eastern Health & Social Services Council Role Of The Health And Social Services Council The role of the Health and Social Services Councils is to represent the interests of the public in the planing and delivery of health care and social services in Northern Ireland. We give the public a chance to influence decisions that affect them. Some of our activities include:
In seeking to give you a voice in Health and Social Services the Eastern Health and Social Services Council tries to engage people in a variety of ways. The Council's offices are open Monday to Friday. Any member of the public is welcome to visit for advice or support on any aspect of health and social services. The Council also has a Free Phone number (0800 9170 222) and a website. Last year over 800 people contacted the Council for help and over 22,000 visited its website (www.ehssc.org). Please contact us if you wish to use our services, express a view on health and social services affecting you or just find out more about the Council.
E-mail:ecouncil@ehssc.n-i.nhs.uk Website: www.ehssc.org My first full year as Chair of the Council has seen changes both in our membership and in staffing. In March Richard Dixon joined us as our Chief Officer. Richard comes to us at a time of great challenge and change for the Council and we offer him a warm welcome and our support. In April we bade farewell to Jane Graham. As our Chief Officer, Jane had a real passion for her work and cared deeply about a wide variety of issues and the people they affected. Personally I feel privileged to have worked with Jane in her last year with the Council and wish her well on her return to Canada. Patricia McMillan One of Council's main roles is to provide advice, support and assistance to people who wish to complain about any aspect of health or social services. Our help ranges from providing information to people on how to make a complaint, to accompanying them to meetings and ensuring that their concerns are heard. This year we have provided assistance to over 200 people. Many of the complaints in which the Council is involved are extremely complex in nature, and some take years to resolve. The Council holds eleven public meetings every year. The meetings are held in different venues and any member of the public is welcome to attend.
In June 2004, Council Members participated in a joint Council Workshop held on Lusty Beg Island. This provided an opportunity for all four councils to discuss potential models and roles for future Health and Social Services Councils in Northern Ireland. As a result of the discussions members agreed on priorities for Health and Social Services Councils over the next three years and a way forward for responding to the Review of Public Administration. The Review acknowledges the importance of the public having a voice in policy development and service monitoring and Councils will respond to this consultation with a view to continuing to provide a "voice in health and social care". The Council actively monitors many asects of health and social services in the Eastern Board area. In particular the unacceptable long times in accident and emergency departments when a decision has been made to admit them to hospital. On a daily basis the Council monitors this key issue and has sought to keep it high on the agenda for the public with the Eastern Health and Social Services Board and the Department of Health and Social Services.Over time, the situation has not improved in spite of multiple initiatives to address the problems. In addition to regular reports and Council discussion, members have visited hospitals to understand the circumstances leading to long waits, and challenged the Board and Department on their plans of action. The Council will continue to monitor this and other key issues to highlight services which do not meet people's expectations and the stated targets of organisations. The chart below shows how many patients have had to wait more than two hours on trolleys each month prior to being given a hospital bed, since June 2000. Proposed Dates For Forthcoming Council Meetings If you would like to attend any of these meetings, please contact our offices and we will confirm the time and venue.
Revenue Income and Expenditure Account for Year Ended 31 March 2005
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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 |
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