The role of the Patient & Client Council in Health and Social Care Maeve Hully John Quinn

Health & Social Care Structure Minister/ Department PHA HSCB (including LCGs) Trusts BSO RQIA PCC Key Stakeholders including: Service Users, GPs, Independent & Private Sector, & Voluntary & Community Agencies

What is the Patient & Client Council? A powerful, independent voice in health and social care for – patients – clients – carers – communities

Statutory Functions Engage with the public Promote the involvement of the public Help people making a complaint Provide advice and information

Vision Our vision is of a health and social care service where the voice of patients, clients, carers and communities is valued, heard and acted upon.

Mission Statement Our mission is to be a strong, credible and independent voice which makes a difference to the health and social care experience of people across Northern Ireland.

How does Patient & Client Council work? Patient Client Council operations Local Advisory Committees Health Board Assembly Minister PHA Public opinion Trusts & providers Profession al Bodies RQIA Press DHSSP S Local govt. GPs Dentists Complaint s process people Chief Executive Strategy Planning Policy monitoring Patient & Client Council Board

What is involvement? Ways in which patients or clients can draw on their experience and members of the public can apply their priorities to the evaluation, development, organisation and delivery of health and care services –Patients/clients as individuals –Carers on behalf of others –Members of communities, localities and the public

Types of involvement Involvement in decisions about treatment and care Involvement in service development –Planning, prioritising and commissioning services Involvement in evaluation of service provision –Regulation and public accountability not patient satisfaction Involvement in teaching Involvement in research –At all stages of the research cycle

Why involve members of the public? Legitimacy –Of decision –Lessens conflict and resistance to change Relevance –Different kinds of questions –Focus on process and experience not just outcomes Impact –Efficiency and effectiveness of decision –More acceptable process for applicant, public and public manager –Support, co-production and compliance

Potential Pitfalls for Involvement Issues of diversity –The usual suspects –Grinding an axe –Unvoiced, unheard and those with the greatest need Politicisation of PPI No PPI system –Tick box and one-off exercise with no follow up –Not acting on involvement No evaluation

Work Streams Priorities for Action End of Life Care Membership Scheme Information on Health and Social Care

The Challenges Legitimacy/Credibility Making a difference Social Care Capacity Independence Close the loop

Mr J Quinn Service User

Action Plan Drawn Up by Health Trust 1.Medical and nursing staff did not critically review/reassess situation despite patient being in the Department for a number of hours (staff to be encouraged to challenge inappropriate clinical decisions) 2.Poor communication with relatives with regard to a patient who was not able to give a full clinical and social history (need to ensure good communication with relatives) 3.No follow-up of a vulnerable patient discharged from an A and E Department (process of follow-up phone calls to be developed) 4.No-one appeared to be in charge who the family could have approached to ask for a review of the situation (information on duty manager to be available at all times) 5.Opportunity to use this unfortunate incident as a learning point for medical and nursing staff