NIAS Proposals for Service Reconfiguration Presented to Minister

The Board of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) has approved proposals to reconfigure the provision of ambulance services in Northern Ireland.

Investment gained under the Comprehensive Spending Review will be used to further improve the service for the benefit of the community we serve.

Like all Health Trusts in Northern Ireland, there has been a legislative requirement on NIAS to make 3% efficiency savings per year (in the period 2008-11) and NIAS has identified the areas in which these can be realised. The CSR investment has enabled NIAS to provide additional Paramedic cover throughout Northern Ireland.

NIAS has been facing an increased year on year demand for its emergency services, answering 113,000 emergency calls in 2008/09 alone. Over 40,000 of these were classified as potentially immediately life threatening. In such cases it is of the utmost importance to get paramedic assistance to the scene as quickly as possible. “Every second counts” is not just a phrase that is used for effect – it is meant. Research by the European Resuscitation Council indicates that in cases of cardiac arrest (heart attack), a victims chances of survival decrease with every passing minute. Early CPR and early defibrillation are key to survival.

The provision of the highest quality of care is a primary concern for NIAS. We aim, in every case, to get to those calls as quickly as possible and believe that the introduction of more Rapid Response Vehicles, in towns and cities, will improve our response and, ultimately, the patients chances of survival.

Rapid Response Vehicles are cars that are staffed by single, highly trained and motivated ambulance paramedics. These cars carry all the equipment needed to treat the most seriously ill patients and since NIAS introduced them in 2002 they, when dispatched at the same time as the traditional A&E vehicle have arrived first at the scene 87% of the time.

The paramedics are then able to commence treatment and in some cases have the patient ready earlier for transportation to hospital. When the ambulance crew has left the scene with the patient the Rapid Response Paramedic is immediately available for the next call.

In those life threatening calls to which a Rapid Response Vehicle is sent, a traditional A&E vehicle will continue to be sent at the same time.

To ease the pressure on the fleet and increase the availability of A&E vehicles to transport the most seriously ill or injured, NIAS is looking at ways to reduce the inappropriate use of the ambulance service. In Northern Ireland we carry, to hospital, a higher percentage of the patients we attend than in the rest of the UK.  More patients may be treated and left at home when appropriate; others may be referred to a service more suitable than the A&E department of the local hospital.

NIAS recognises the challenges that have been set and remains committed to the reform, modernisation and improvement of the Service. The changes proposed will be carefully monitored to ensure that they are to the benefit of the patient and are the best use of resources we have.

Click here to read full document

Chief Executives of New Health and Social Care Trusts Announced

Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey has announced the appointment of the Chief Executives (Designate) who will lead the four new Health and Social Care (HSC) organisations.

They are:-

• John Compton - Regional Health and Social Care Board
• Dr Eddie Rooney - Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being
• Maeve Hully - Patient and Client Council
• David Bingham - Regional Business Services Organisation.

They will each take up their appointment as soon as possible in the New Year.

The Minister said: "I congratulate each of the new Chief Executives on their appointment and wish them every success in their new role. They each have an integral role to play in what is a very important phase for the future of health and social care.

"Our system faces increasing demands from a growing and ever-changing population who rightly expect services to be responsive, safe, effective and efficient. I believe the new structures will equip our service with the infrastructure needed to tackle the challenges we face, with the new Chief Executives, along with the Chairs, being central in driving forward the modernisation of health and social care.

"In particular, their role in helping to engage our population in their own health will be vital as we aim to improve the health and well-being of our society and offer everyone an equal chance for a healthy life."

"The appointments I am announcing today are another milestone in the establishment of the new organisations."

Notes to Editors:

1. Biographies for the new Chief Executives are as follows:-

John Compton - Chief Executive (designate) Regional Health and Social Care Board

John has been Chief Executive of the South Eastern Trust from its inception in April 2006. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive of the Down Lisburn Trust from 2001. During this time at Down Lisburn, he was seconded as Chief Executive in the West of the province in the then Sperrin Lakeland Trust for over a year. He trained as a Social Worker and was educated at Queens University Belfast and the University of Ulster. He also has spent time at the Federal Executive Institute in the USA. John has three married daughters and is a keen jogger and marathon participant.

David Bingham - Chief Executive (designate) Regional Business Services Organisation

David joined the Health Service as a National Administrative Trainee in 1976. He worked in Personnel before leaving for a two -year stint in the motor manufacturing industry. On his return to the Health Service he worked as Director of Human Resources in the Eastern Health and Social Services Board for 4 years. In 1993 he left to set up the Beeches Management Centre, a training, development and consultancy organisation for Trusts and Commissioners in Northern Ireland. He was appointed to his current job in the Department of Health in September 2000 as Director of HPSS Human Resources.

Dr Eddie Rooney - Chief Executive (designate) Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being

Dr Eddie Rooney joined the Northern Ireland Civil Service in 1985 as a statistician/social researcher in the Department of Education. In 1994, he moved to the Department of Health and Social Services to head Health Promotion Policy Branch and was secretary to the Ministerial Group in Public Health. On appointment to the Senior Civil Service, he was posted to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure as head of policy and research in the newly formed Department. In 2003, he was appointed Deputy Secretary in the Department of Education where his responsibilities included leading policy on the Review of Public Administration. Dr Rooney has extensive experience in working on inter-departmental policy and chaired the Fit Futures taskforce on childhood obesity which reported in 2007. He transferred to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister as Equality Director in 2008.

Maeve Hully - Chief Executive (designate) Patient and Client Council

Maeve Hully has been working for Marie Curie Cancer Care since 1993. Since 2006 she has had a national role within the Charity for Patient Advocacy which has shaped the way the organisation engages and involves patients and families in service planning and delivery. Maeve is a Registered Nurse with over 15 years experience working in palliative care. Prior to her current position Maeve worked as a Health Visitor and a Community Paediatric Nurse.

2. The Minister announced the four Chairs of the new organisations on 9 December 2008. They are: -

• Dr Ian Clements - Regional Health and Social Care Board;
• Ms Mary McMahon - Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being;
• Mr Alexander Coleman - Regional Business Services Organisation; and
• Mr John Keanie - Patient and Client Council.

3. Press enquiries to the DHSSPS Press Office on 028 90520575. Out of office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.