Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Care Trust falls under the responsibility of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for Northern
Ireland (DHSSPS), Secondary Care
Health and Social Services Boards
Health and Personal Social Services Northern Ireland are provided as an integrated service. The four Health and Social Services Boards plan and commission services for the
residents of their areas.
Eastern Health and Social Services Board
Northern Health and Social Services Board
Southern Health and Social Services Board
Western Health and Social Services Board
Due to the modernisation of Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland, changes in the Boards will occur in the fallowing year(s). Please read below for further information
Review of Public Administration (RPA)
The Review of Public Administration was launched by the Northern Ireland Executive in June 2002 to deliver wide-ranging and comprehensive modernisation and reform across
the public sector.
For Health and Social Care Services in Northern Ireland, there were two major phases involved in the Review of Public Administration, the first being the establishment of the
five new integrated Health and Social Care Trusts and the retention of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Care Trust which came into effect from 1 April
2007. The second phase included establishing new organisational arrangements to replace the present four Health and Social Services Boards, four Health and Social Services
Councils and a number of agencies. Following consultation, the minister decided to establish four new Health and Social Care bodies which are:
The Regional Health and Social Care Board (RHSCB);
The Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-Being (RAPHSW);
The Regional Business Services Organisation (RBSO); and
The Patient and Client Council (PCC).
The Role of the RHSCB and Board membership
The Regional Health and Social Care Board will replace the four existing Health and Social Services Boards and its core focus will reflect the principles of good governance,
the quality of care for patients and clients, accountability, transparency, efficiency and effectiveness. The main functions of the RHSCB will be; commissioning; performance
management and improvement; and the effective, economic and efficient utilisation of allocated resources for the commissioning of health and social care. In addition, other
than those functions allocated to the new Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-Being, the appropriate statutory functions currently carried out by the four HSS
Boards will be undertaken by the new RHSCB.
The board of the RHSCB will be made up of five executive directors including the Chief Executive, a non-executive Chair and seven non-executive directors. The non-executive
directors include a member from a medical background, a member from a nursing background, a trade union member and four lay members.
The Role of the RAPHSW and Board Membership
The Regional Agency for Public Health & Social Well-Being will be an integral part of the Health and Social Care system and will drive the public health and social well-being
agenda. It will bring together the wide range of existing public health functions and give a renewed, enhanced and sustained focus to achieving key public health goals. The broad
functions of the agency will be; health improvement; health protection; and provision of appropriate professional input to the commissioning role of the RHSCB.
The board of the RAPHSW will be made up of four executive directors including the chief executive, a non-executive chair and seven non-executive directors. The non-executive
directors include a member from a social care background; a trade union member, two local government members and three lay members.
The Role of the RBSO and Board Membership
The Regional Business Services Organisation will provide a broad range of support functions for the health and social care service, bringing together services which are common
to bodies or persons engaged in providing health or social services which include: administrative support, advice and assistance; financial services; human resource, personnel
and corporate services; training; estates; information technology, and information management; procurement of goods and services; legal services; internal audit and fraud
prevention.
The board of the RBSO will be made up of four executive directors, including the chief executive, a non-executive chair and eight non-executive directors. The non-executive
directors include a trade union member and seven lay members.
The Role of the PCC and Board Membership
The consumer voice in relation to health and personal social services in Northern Ireland is currently provided through four Health and Social Services Councils. These four
Councils will be replaced by a single health and social care user's body - the Patient and Client Council. The functions of the Patient and Client Council will be to: represent
the interest of the public; promote the involvement of the public; provide assistance to individuals making or intending to make a complaint relating to health and social care;
encourage health and social care bodies to provide advice and information to the public about the design, commissioning and delivery of health and social services; and such other
functions as may be prescribed.
The board of the PCC will be made up of sixteen non-executive directors and a non-executive chair. The non-executive directors include a trade union member, five local
government members, five voluntary & community members and five lay members.
Appointments to HSC Bodies are made with the approval of the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. There are no specific qualifications for appointment.
Each person is appointed to act in a personal capacity and not to represent any particular interest or group.
The appointments were made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland. Two selection panels, both including
an independent assessor, as required under the Commissioner's Code, considered the suitability of all candidates. The final decisions on the appointments rested with the
minister.
For more information refer to http://www.rpani.gov.uk/index.htm or www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
Health and Social Care Trusts (HSC)
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service HSC Trust is one of 6 Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts which provide health and social services.
The other 5 Trusts in Northern Ireland are:
Belfast Trust
Northern Trust
South Eastern Trust
Southern Trust
Western Trust
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