Further dates announced for public meetings

Health Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA has announced a series of further public meetings in January 2017 on the proposed criteria to be used to reconfigure, change and improve our health service.

On 11 November 2016, the Minister launched a consultation on the criteria for reconfiguring our health and social care services. The consultation will run until Friday 20 January 2017. 

Alongside this, a series of 13 public meetings have been scheduled across the north between 8 December 2016 and 18 January 2017 in a number of locations. Four meetings have been arranged for December 2016 and will be facilitated in Omagh, Derry, Ballycastle and Portadown. The remaining nine meetings will take place in January 2017 in Cookstown, Lisburn, North Belfast, Central Belfast, Coleraine, Downpatrick, Newry, Enniskillen and Ballymena.

The Minister is fulfilling her commitment outlined in ‘Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together’ to carry out a consultation process on the criteria set out in the Expert Panel report.

Speaking about the consultation meetings, Minister O’Neill said: “We are embarking on a time of major change in Health and Social Care (HSC) in the north and I want to ensure that this is carefully thought through and planned with the input of as many of those who use and deliver HSC services as possible. 

“I want to hear what you have to say. Your views matter and I can assure you that they will be given full consideration in reaching my decision on whether to adopt the criteria which will inform the future of our health and social care system including: where delivery needs to be improved; or, where the continuation of services in their present form is unsustainable.”

The Minister continued: “It is vital that we get the criteria right at the very beginning of the process to enable a clear and transparent framework for assessing how services are configured in the future.

“At the heart of this is the core aim of ensuring patients receive the best care available the first time every time, resulting in better health outcomes for the patient, with quicker recovery times and less need for follow up care.”

The public meetings will be held at:

• Omagh, Omagh Enterprise Company 08 December 2016, 7.00pm - 9.00pm
• Derry, Millennium Forum 14 December 2016, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
• Ballycastle, Corrymeela Centre 19 December 2016, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
• Portadown, Seagoe Hotel  20 December 2016, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
• Cookstown, Glenavon Hotel  04 January 2017, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
• Lisburn, Trinity Community  05 January 2017, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
• North Belfast, Duncairn Centre 09 January 2017, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
• Central Belfast, Belfast Central Mission 10 January 2017, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
• Coleraine, The Sandel Centre  11 January 2017, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
• Downpatrick, The Cricket Club  12 January 2017, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
• Newry, Newry Conferencing & Banquet Centre 16 January 2017, 7.00pm -9.00pm
• Enniskillen, Killyhevlin Hotel 17 January 2017, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
• Ballymena, Adair Arms  18 January 2017, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
• Newtownards, Somme Museum & Heritage Centre 19 January 2017, 7.00pm - 9.00pm

Notes to editors: 

1. The criteria set out in the consultation document are:
   • There is evidence that the outcomes for patients using these services are below acceptable levels either in the services as a whole or in particular hospitals, or where there are safety concerns.
   • There is a clear clinical pathway for the patient population. Co-created with patient groups.
   • The service cannot meet professional standards or minimum volumes of activity needed to maintain expertise.
   • The permanent workforce required to safely and sustainably deliver the service is not available/cannot be recruited or retained, or can only be secured with high levels of expensive agency/locum staff.
   • The training of Junior Doctors cannot be provided to acceptable levels.
   • There is an effective alternative ‘out of hospital’ care model or an alternative ‘shared care’ delivery model.
   • The delivery of the service is costing significantly more than that of peers or of alternative ‘out of hospital’ alternatives due to a combination of the above factors.
2. The consultation document and a response questionnaire can be found online.
3. The public consultation closes Friday 20 January 2017.
4. Consultation Name: Consultation on Criteria for Reconfiguring Health and Social Care Services. Responses should be sent to:

   E-mail: Reconfig.criteria@health-ni.gov.uk

   Written:           
   Reconfiguration Criteria Consultation
   Department of Health
   Room C3.6
   Castle Buildings
   Stormont Estate
   Belfast, BT4 3SQ

   Tel: (028) 905 20020
   Fax: (028) 905 22335

5. For media enquiries about this press release, please contact the DoH Press Office on 028 9052 0575 or email pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk. For out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07623 974383 and your call will be returned. Follow us on Twitter @healthdpt

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