Patient Access and Communication –
An Assessment of the New GMS Contract

Click here for the report

Casualty Watch January 2006

This Casualty Watch Report details the findings of the snapshot survey.

	The Southern Health & Social Services Council undertook a snapshot survey of Casualty departments at both Craigavon Area Hospital (CAH) and Daisy Hill Hospital (DHH).
	The survey aimed to assess the throughput of patients and what the experience and environment was like for those using the service.
	The survey was carried out each day between 3.30pm - 4.30pm from Monday 30 January 2006 to Friday 3 February 2006.

Click here for the report

Assessing The Impact Of Service User Participation In The Southern Area

This research is based upon work by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) which identified two stages of service user participation. The first stage is ‘adaptive’ and is concerned with establishing the principle of service user participation and the setting up of processes. The second is ‘transformational’ and describes organisational change brought about by service user participation. This appeared to us to be a helpful idea in looking at the current situation and prompting debate about where we should go from here. This report provides an overview of what is happening in the Southern Area.

Click here for the report

Click here for the summary report

Moving Towards A Patient Client Council

'Moving Towards a Patient Client Council' provides a record of a four Council event that set out to explore our experience to date and consider what the best model for the Patient Client Council might be. It brought together almost 80 representatives from the four HSSCs to reach a consensus about the regional and local requirements of the proposed new body. The outcomes of that discussion are included in this document.

Click here for the report

Please give us your views, Click here to email us

We Are People Too!

The report, 'We Are People Too', explores the patient's journey through the GP service from the perspective of the Citizenship Group at Prospects Day Opportunities Newry. This group of 16 adults with a learning disability and their support staff worked with the Southern Health and Social Services Council to jointly produce the report.

Click here for the report

Report on NI Bugwatch Pilot

The NI Bugwatch pilot was developed by the four Health and Social Services Councils to support the Councils' lay visiting activity in relation to Healthcare Associated Infection (HCAI) and to promote patient/public input into the NI strategy. NI Bugwatch was based on a model developed by the Commission for Public and Patient Involvement in Health in England (CPPIH). It provides a simple tick-box checklist in relation to hospital hygiene that
allows lay visiting teams to carry out the survey.

The NI Bugwatch surveys were carried out in 8 hospitals

during 'Bugwatch Week' 19-23 September 2005, and the report was published in November 2005.

Click here for the report

Patients' Experiences of Dental Services

In late 2004 the DHSSPS commenced the task of developing a strategy for the delivery of Primary Dental Care Services for Northern Ireland over the next ten years. This report on Patients' Experience of Using General Dental Services was published in August 2005.

Click here for the report

Strengthening Links With The Community And Voluntary Sector

In January 2005 the SHSSC retained CDHN to provide baseline information on existing knowledge of, and relationship with, the SHSSC among the community and voluntary sector. Click on image for full report.

Click here for the report

Patients’ & Relatives’ Experiences of the Quality of Care provided by the Southern Area Hospice

In 2001 the Southern Area Hospice approached the Southern Health and Social Services Council (SHSSC) requesting assistance from the Council in obtaining the views of patients and relatives of Hospice services.

Click here for the report

Intermediate Care
Users' Views of Services In The Southern Area

In February 2003 the Southern Health and Social Services Board requested the Council’s assistance in an evaluation of intermediate care services.

Click here for the summary report

Review of Locality Sensitive Purchasing (LSP) Community Fora (September 2003)

Five Community Fora were established by the Southern Health and Social Services Board in 1995 in order to involve local communities and service users in decision-making. In 2002 the Board asked the Council to review the operations of these five Fora.

Children as Complainants in the Health and Personal Social Services in Northern Ireland (July 2003)

This research investigated the systems in place - the Wilson Complaints procedure and Children Order procedure - to respond to complaints about health and social services made by or on behalf of children and young people.

Mullinure Day Unit - The Views of Users (Oct 2002)

Mullinure day unit operates as a geriatric day hospital for the assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and maintenance of older people who are physically and mentally frail. This research examines the views and experiences of 40 users of the service.

'Breast Screening in Newry and Mourne - Women's Experiences and Attitudes' (June 2002)

The current target recommended for breast screening is that 75% of all women aged between 50-64 years should attned. Between April 1996 and March 1999 only 62% of women in the Newry area attended for breast screening. The aim of this research was to identify the attitudes of women who did and did not attend for breast-screening and their reasons for doing so.

Northern Ireland Prosthethic Services Survey (May 2002)

The prosthetics service is a regional service for people who use artificial limbs and is provided by Green Park Health Care Trust. This research explored the views and experiences of service users.

Patients' Views on Services for Older People at Daisy Hill Hospital (May 2002)

This report details the views and experiences of 40 patients (and relatives) who had stayed on the Elderly Care and Rehabilitation wards of Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry.

Non attendance at Outpatient Appointments - A Discussion Paper (May 2002)

Non-attendance at outpatient appointments has been identified as a common source of inefficiency within the health service. This project examines the issue of non-attendance from the patient perspective. It outlines the various rates for non-attendance within the Southern Board, identifies reasons for non-attendance and makes recommendations/suggestions as to how Trusts could reduce rates.

Investing for Health - The Views of the Public (May 2001)

In November 2000, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety launched a consultation paper "Investing for Health" which outlined a propsed strategy to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Northern Ireland. To assist in our response the four Health and Social Services Councils commissioned a survey of 1106 members of the public to find out their views on the determinants of health and wellbeing.

'A Survey of the Southern Health and Social Services Council's Performance in Assisting Complainants'. (March 2001)

The Council conducted a survey of people who contacted the Council for support or guidance on how to make a complaint to find out how complainants were aware of the Council, effectiveness of the advice they received, how they were treated and the outcome of their complaint.

Review of Cardiac Surgery - Feedback from Public Meetings in Newry, Craigavon and Dungannon. (February 2001)

In January 2001 the Council facilitated three public meetings, in Newry, Craigavon and Dungannon, to hear about people's experiences of cardiac surgery services. The purpose of these meetings were to inform the review of cardiac surgery which was ongoing at that time. This report details the main issues raised by participants at these meetings.

'Relatives' Voices' - Relatives' Views on the Quality of Care Provided to Older People in Nursing and Residential Homes. (January 2001)

This report details the views and experiences of 626 relatives of older people resident in nursing or residential homes on the quality of care provided. The methodology involved focus group discussions and a postal survey.

'Opening the Door to Health' - Access to Primary Healthcare Services for Single Homeless People in Northern Ireland. (December 2000)

The four Health and Social Services Councils and Simon Community (NI) undertook research to identify the barriers in accessing primary healthcare services for single homeless people in Northern Ireland. This included focus group discussions with single homeless people, hostels and semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals.

Report of the Locality Needs Assessment

As part of the Armagh Primary Care Commissioning Pilot the Council and Armagh Confederation of Voluntary Groups undertook a number of focus groups in the Armagh area to identify the views of primary care service users on the services available at a local level. This report details the finding and was published in Autumn 2000.

‘Women’s Voices’ - Women’s Experiences of Maternity Services at Craigavon Area Hospital following Transfer from South Tyrone Hospital (June 2000)

When maternity services were withdrawn from South Tyrone Hospital there was some concern in the local community about the additional journey which women would have to make to travel to Craigavon Hospital and about the ability of Craigavon Hospital to cope with the extra number of births. This research involved a postal survey which sought the views and experiences on the quality of care provided in hospital of all women who gave birth at Craigavon Area Hospital between 1 June and 7 September 1999.

Focus Group Discussion on Patients' Experiences of the Haematuria Clinic, Daisy Hill Hospital (August 1999)

This report details the findings of a focus group discussion with patients who had attended the Haematuria Clinic at Daisy Hill Hospital.