Governance for PPI and Patient Client Experience
All Health and Social Care (HSC) bodies are accountable to the Department of Health, which in turn, is accountable through the Minister to the Assembly, for the way in which Personal and Public Involvement (PPI) and Patient Client Experience (PCE) are performed.
The Public Health Agency has oversight of the implementation of PPI policy within Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland, and for encouraging and promoting co-production, partnership working and involvement with service users, carers and the public. Our Trust Board has responsibility for ensuring that the Trust is compliant with PPI legislation and PCE standards, and that it promotes good practice. Non-executive directors ensure that the Board acts in the best interests of service users, carers and the public, challenging its decisions and outcomes, and ensuring due process is followed. This includes compliance with PPI legislative requirements.
The Chair of the Trust Board (and Non-Executive Director and PPI Lead) plays a key role in embedding PPI into the culture and practice within the organisation. The Chief Executive is responsible for ensuring that we are compliant with PPI legislation and PCE standards. Our Divisional Director of Strategic Planning, Performance and ICT is the lead Director for PPI, ensuring that PPI is a priority within all aspects of our business and planning agenda, including transformation projects.
Our Head of Equality leads on service user and carer involvement within the Trust, including Patient Client Experience, Personal and Public Involvement and co-production.
Divisional directors are responsible for ensuring appropriate PPI within the work of their divisions.
The Involvement Team provides support, advice and guidance to staff, along with training and support for service users, carers and the public as required.
We have a range of governance, management and reporting mechanisms in place to support our involvement work.
Our Northern Partnership and Population Health Committee provides assurance that the Trust is compliant with its statutory requirements. This committee is a standing committee of the Trust Board, and oversees the Trust’s strategy for Personal and Public Involvement and Patient Client Experience. The Committee meets quarterly and is provided with an update on involvement work across the Trust.
