| WESTERN HEALTH &
SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
Work Programme Monthly Activity Reports
Work Programme 2007-2008
Work Programme and
Summary of Performance 2005-2006
Joint Council Work
Programme 2004 - 2007
Work Programme
2007-2008
The Western Health & Social Services
Council’s Work Programme sets out its annual objectives
to meet the overall aims of Health & Social Services
Councils.
An annual report on performance against
the work programme will ensure that the Council remains
accountable to the public and the Department of Health
& Social Services.
Aim 1: To increase visibility and accessibility
to members of the public
| Objectives |
WHSSC
Work Programme |
| To engage the public and voluntary and community
groups in HSSC’s work |
 |
Involve patients/clients/carers
in the Council’s work programme through
its working groups and consultation events |
|
Engage with service users and the public
in e.g. Rural Medicine, TCH reconfiguration
issues and the implementation of the new PCC |
|
| Increase public access to the Council |
|
Increase public awareness of
Council and proposed changes with advent of
PCC |
|
Ensure Council meetings are accessible to
the public |
|
Update and maintain website |
|
Provide opportunities for individuals, voluntary
and community groups to meet with the Council |
|
| Act as recognised point of media
contact for public interest in Health and Social
care |
|
Maintain media profile |
|
Chair and Chief Officer to avail of media
training |
|
Maintain OOH’s Chief Officer contact
for media |
|
Provide briefing to Chair on public interest
issues |
|
Access appropriate information to support
public comment |
|
Aim 2: To monitor HPSS provision to the public
| Objectives |
WHSSC Work Programme |
| To visit health and social care facilities |
|
Visit appropriate facilities
which will complement the monitoring programme |
|
Planned visits to include:
| - |
Mental Health admission wards (SLT
area) |
| - |
Erne Health Centre (patient experience) |
| - |
Bugwatch - two hospitals |
| - |
NIAS control centres |
|
|
Visit facilities which reflect public concern |
|
Ensure members receive appropriate training
and briefings prior to visits |
|
Provide feedback on visits to the Council
|
|
| Maintain annual monitoring programme |
|
Continue with any outstanding
issues arising from last year’s monitoring
programme |
|
Develop working relationships with new Trusts
and Commissioners |
|
Monitor service provision through Council
and its working groups in the following areas:
| - |
Implementation of Foyle
Mental Health Review |
| - |
Input to SLT Mental Health Review |
| - |
Ambulance service provision ref TCH
reconfiguration |
| - |
OT services in SLT area |
| - |
Autism services and Speech and Language
Therapy |
| - |
Cancer services; Breast care Clinics;
Colon Cancer Surgery; Specialist Nurses
and shared care arrangements for children
with cancer |
| - |
Carer’s Assessment |
| - |
Respite services |
| - |
Community provision for children with
severe disabilities |
| - |
Domiciliary care |
| - |
New GMS contract - The patient perspective |
| - |
Access to NHS Dentistry |
|
|
Provide training for members involved in
Pharmacy Practices Committee and National
Appeal Panels |
|
| Monitor and act on public interest
concerns raised by members, service users or media |
|
Provide opportunities for members
of the public to raise their concerns with
the Council and its members |
|
Maintain good working relationship with media
|
|
Respond to individual concerns raised by
members, public or media |
|
| Monitor complaints within the HPSS |
|
Monitor HPSS complaints for
trends in service provision |
|
Monitor complaint handling in new Trust
including patient/client access to complaints
procedure |
|
Audit complaint activity across new Trust |
|
Monitor outcome and implementation of HPSS
complaints process review. |
|
Aim 3: Advise on HPSS policies, strategies
and operations
| Objectives |
WHSSC Work Programme |
| Influence the development of HPSS
policies and strategies |
|
Receive information from HPSS
on policy and strategy |
|
Ensure Council represented at policy and
strategy group meetings |
|
Invite relevant speakers to Council |
|
Promote debate and understanding of Council
and members on HPSS policy |
|
Make Council’s views known to MLA’s
– Executive |
|
| Influence operational decision makers |
|
Organise regular liaison meetings
with new Trusts and commissioners |
|
Ensure Council and public interest represented
on appropriate external working groups |
|
Chief Officer/Chair meet regularly with
Chief Executive and Boards |
|
| Represent public interest in HPSS
consultations |
|
Respond to local and regional
consultations |
|
Promote workshop style debate on issues
under consultation |
|
Invite relevant presentations |
|
Encourage and support wider public debate |
|
Support joint Council working on consultations |
|
Publish all responses on Council Website |
|
| Maintain appropriate representation
on external Committees with Health & Social
Care agenda |
|
Continue to monitor and review
representation |
|
Provide support and information to members
on external committees/groups |
|
Ensure feedback from representatives |
|
Monitor capacity to maintain representation |
|
Promote patient/client/carer involvement
in such groups |
|
Aim 4: To provide complaints assistance
| Objectives |
WHSSC Work Programme |
| Support and advise service users
and carers when making complaints about the HPSS |
|
Manage capacity within Council
to maintain service |
|
Ensure clients and public have a range of
access points to the Council’s service |
|
Provide information and signposting service |
|
Support complainants through all stages
of process |
|
Agree transition protocols across Four HSSCs’
for providing support |
|
Communicate any new arrangements to complainants |
|
Ensure full consent of complainants for
transfer of personal data to PCC |
|
Contribute to HSSC’s Complaints Officer
Forum |
|
Contribute to WHSSB Complaints Forum |
|
Engage with new Trust CSCG and Complaints
Officers to ensure smooth transition from
old Trusts re public’s access to their
complaints process |
|
Review and improve Council’s reporting
on complaints support and advice service |
|
Aim 5: To develop and implement transition arrangements
for HSSC to PCC
| Objectives |
WHSSC Work Programme |
| Contribute to implementing the objectives for
Joint Strategic plan for the HSSCs |
|
Monitor progress and activity
of joint HSSC strategic plan |
|
Contribute to joint activities |
|
Agree transition arrangements
| - |
HSSC services |
| - |
HSSC administration |
| - |
Staff |
| - |
Legislative requirements |
| - |
FOI/DPA |
|
|
| Develop and implement WHSSC dissolution
plan |
|
Ensure Dissolution Plan has
regard to:
| - |
Staff and TUPE |
| - |
Members |
| - |
Budget reporting |
| - |
Complete final Assets report |
| - |
Core business |
| - |
Communication |
| |
- Internal |
| |
- External |
| - |
Legal requirements e.g. PRONI |
| - |
Progress reports – monthly |
| - |
Joint Conference |
| |
| - |
WHSSC Chief Officer
leading (Feb 08) |
| - |
Celebrate work of Council 1991-2007 |
| - |
Acknowledge voluntary role of
members |
|
| - |
Presentations |
| - |
Publicity |
| - |
End of Year Joint Report 07/08 |
|
|
Aim 6: To fulfil organisational requirements
of the Councils
| Objectives |
WHSSC Work Programme |
| Work within the resources of the
Council |
|
Monitor staffing, loss of Grade
4; temporary staffing |
|
Staff training for New Opportunities under
RPA |
|
Quarterly Budget reviews |
|
Continue to ensure VFM |
|
| Contingency planning for changes
during period of dissolution |
|
Review impact of RPA on staff
| - |
motivation |
| - |
staff losses |
| - |
reduced capacity |
|
|
Re-prioritise work and align with capacity |
|
Monitor impact of new local hospital site
on current WHSSC office location |
|
Monitor level of member involvement in Council
- review capacity |
|
Work with incoming Chief Executive Designate
of PCC (TBC November/December 07) |
|
| To develop and maintain improvements
in the administrative business of the Council |
|
Maintain improvements already
made
| - |
create new database for
complainants in preparing for closure/transfer
of files |
|
|
Implement systematic management of file
and records retention and disposal |
|
| Meet statutory obligations |
|
Update publication scheme (FOI) |
|
Create consent form for transfer/closure
of complainants’ files (DPA) |
|
Submit annual returns to Equality Commission,
Information Commissioner and Department |
|
Comply with WHSSB’s policies on HR
and Finance |
|
Maintain Members’ interests register |
|
Chief Officer/BSM continue membership of
WEHRF and FOI/Records Management Fora |
|
Provide training to members on FOI/DPA |
|
Work Programme and Summary of Performance
2005-2006
The Western Health & Social Services
Council’s Work Programme sets out its annual objectives
to meet the overall aims of Health & Social Services
Councils.
This report on performance ensures
that the Council remains accountable to the public and
the Department of Health & Social Services.
The report is supported by additional
material attached in the Annex.
To read the full Work Programme and
Summary of Performance 2005 - 2006 click
here.
JOINT
COUNCIL WORK PROGRAMME 2004 - 2007
Introduction
The Health and Social Services Councils
were established to represent the interests of users
of health and social services in Northern Ireland. Four
Councils were set up in 1991 on a regional format with
Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western offices.
Purpose
The Councils aim is to make public
services more responsive to users’ and carers’
needs and to give the public an opportunity to influence
decisions that are made on their behalf. Health and
Social Services Councils have the following legal rights:
To be consulted by the Health and Social
Services Board on any major developments or changes
in services.
To have formal meetings with Health and Social Services
Boards.
To enter and inspect health and social services facilities.
To receive any information which it needs to do its
job.
Council members are all local
people who have an interest in health and social services
issues. Members are drawn from city, district and borough
councils, voluntary and community organisations and
other interested groups. The Health and Social Services
Councils have 102 members in total (24 Northern/ 24
Southern/ 30 Eastern / 24 Western). Health & Social
Service Council members are all appointed with the approval
of the Minister responsible for the Department of Health,
Social Services and Public Safety. Health and Social
Service Council members are not paid and the four councils
are supported by a small number of staff.
To read the full Work Programme 2004
- 2007 click
here.
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