Health Minister Michelle O’Neill has announced the extension of appointment of the Trade Union Representative, Mr. Garrett Martin, to the Patient and Client Council (PCC) for the period 10 December 2016 to 11 December 2017.
The Patient and Client Council, which is established under Section 16(1) of the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (NI) 2009, is a regional body supported by five local offices operating within the same geographical areas covered by the five HSC Trusts and LCGs.
The overarching objective of the PCC is to provide a powerful, independent voice for patients, clients, carers, and communities on health and social care issues through the exercise of the following functions:
- to represent the interests of the public by engaging with the public to obtain their views on services and engaging with Health and Social Care (HSC) organisations to ensure that the needs and expectations of the public are addressed in the planning, commissioning and delivery of health and social care services;
- to promote the involvement of patients, clients, carers and the public in the design, planning, commissioning and delivery of health and social care;
- to provide assistance to individuals making or intending to make a complaint relating to health and social care; and
- to promote the provision of advice and information to the public by the HSC about the design, commissioning and delivery of health and social care services.
The Trade Union Representative position carries a time commitment of two days per month and attracts an annual remuneration of £3,601.
This extension to appointment is made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
Notes to editors:
- All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments requires the political activity of appointees to be published. Mr Martin declared he had not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
- As Deputy Director and Senior Employment Relations Officer, Garrett Martin is the Royal College of Nursing lead on Trade Union and employer negotiations including the regional joint negotiation and consultative forums. As a Joint Secretary for the Trade Union side, he sits on a number of regional working groups covering a wide range of both employment and policy areas. With almost 20 years experience as a clinical nurse primarily in the Emergency Care setting, he has worked as a Charge Nurse and Nurse Consultant and has been employed in a number of the HPSS Trusts in the north of Ireland. Garrett also spent over two years in a senior management position as an Assistant Director for Medicine and Unscheduled Care in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.
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