Public participation is a key principle of health and social care services and helps us ensure we deliver services that reflect the communities we serve.

Speaking rights

Agendas for public meetings are published in advance. If you would like the opportunity to address the Board on a specific topic included on the agenda, then you should either write to, or email the Business Support Manager, at least five working days before the proposed meeting.  Presentation/speaking notes must be submitted at least three days before the meeting.

Every effort will be made to accommodate requests, but this is not always possible. The Chair will make the final decision on which requests can be fulfilled.

Any deputation will be confined to a presentation by not more than two persons and will not exceed 10 minutes duration.

The Chair will decide if a Trust response is appropriate and there will be no right of reply by the speaker.

The Chair has discretion on waiving the specified notice period and varying the number of individuals permitted to address the Board.

How to contact us

• Email: karen.okane@northerntrust.hscni.net
• Telephone: 028 9442 4327
• Northern Trust Headquarters, Bretten Hall, Antrim Area Hospital, Bush Road, Antrim, BT41 2RL

Public questions

Members of the public may also request to put a question forward to be answered at a Trust Board meeting. The Trust will consider requests in line with the following guidelines.

• All questions must be relevant to an item included on the agenda.
• All questions are submitted in writing, or by email, at least three days before the date of the meeting.
• Individuals will be restricted to a maximum of two questions each.
• Once a question is answered by a member of Trust Board, as directed by the Chair, there will be no further discussions on this question.
• The decision of the Chair will be final in relation to public questions.

Read more about public questions in the Standing Orders and Scheme of Reservation and Delegation.

Involvement and engagement

The Trust recognises the importance of engagement with stakeholders and may arrange meetings, on request, between appropriate Trust officers and interested groups to consult or engage on topics which are being considered. These meetings will be held separate to a formal Trust Board meeting.

In addition, we have an Involvement Network made up of over 300 service users, carers and representative organisations who work in partnership with the Trust to develop health and social care services.  The network is a key resource to help shape and design services and contribute to the development of service information.

Our focus groups, user panels, forums, consultations, and patient surveys, also provide an opportunity for you to get involved and share give your views or opinions about services, or help us to plan and develop our services.

For more information, please contact our Involvement Team.

• Telephone: 028 2766 1453
• Email: InvolvingYou@northerntrust.hscni.net
• Route Site, 8e Coleraine Road, Ballymoney BT53 6BP.

There is also a regional health and social care website called Engage, for those with an interest in involvement and engagement, including, health and social care staff, service users, carers and the public, with information, opportunities and resources on Personal and Public Involvement (PPI), co-production and partnership working.