The South Eastern Trust is committed to involving staff, service users, local communities and the general public in the decisions we make about our services. One of the ways we do this is by seeking views and feedback on plans, proposals and service changes through formal public consultation exercises.
We publish our current consultations and how you can get involved here.
Contact details
Strategic & Capital Development Department
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
Kelly House, Ulster Hospital
Dundonald
BT16 1RH
Tel: 028 9055 0434
Text phone: 028 9151 0137
Email: consultation@setrust.hscni.net
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Public Consultation on The Future Provision of Urgent and Emergency Care Services Ards and North Down area
The South Eastern Trust is launching a 12-week public consultation about the future model of Urgent and Emergency Care in the Ards and North Down area.
The Trust wishes to address the significant challenges to the provision of this service in the area and ensure that patients have access to the right care they need, when they need it, in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.
The Trust is proposing to develop a new Consultant led Urgent Care Centre, co-located with the Emergency Department at the Ulster Hospital.
In order to achieve this, the Trust is proposing to permanently relocate the Minor Injuries Units in Ards and Bangor Community Hospitals.
Our aim in consulting with the public and our key partners is to ensure that people fully understand the need for change and have an opportunity to consider the proposal and its implications. It is important that everyone has a real and meaningful chance to have their say.
HOW TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION
As part of the consultation, there are a range of opportunities for staff and the local community to give their views. The Trust has developed a consultation document, available at the link below:
Easy Read Consultation Document
In keeping with the commitments in our Equality Scheme we have carried out an Equality Impact Assessment of this proposal. We have also carried out a Rural Needs Impact Assessment.
We welcome your views and feedback on our consultation. There are a number of ways to provide feedback:
- Complete our online questionnaire here.
- Complete and return our paper questionnaire via email or post (see contact details below)
- Share your feedback via email, letter or telephone (see contact details below)
- The Trust is holding a series of public events to have a conversation about the proposed changes. For more information on these events and to register click here.
Contact details
Strategic & Capital Development Department
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
Kelly House, Ulster Hospital
Dundonald
BT16 1RHTel: 028 9055 0434
Email: consultation@setrust.hscni.net
We are consulting for 12 weeks beginning 8 February 2023. Comments should be returned to the Strategic & Capital Development department (see details above) by 3 May 2023.
If you have any queries about the consultation documents, or if you wish to request the documents in alternative formats (including Braille, disk, audio cassette and minority languages) please contact the Trust on 028 9055 0434 or email consultation@setrust.hscni.net
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Public Consultation on the temporary changes to Urgent and Emergency Care services at Lagan Valley Hospital, Lisburn
On Monday 18 October 2021, opening hours at the Lagan Valley Hospital Urgent Care Centre were temporarily changed from 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday, to 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday. A ‘Phone First’ service was also introduced on this date.
The decision to reduce the opening hours by two hours a day was taken by the Trust in response to the significant shortage of suitably qualified emergency medical staff and the ability to maintain high quality standards of care for patients. Patient safety is the Trust’s key priority and there was no alternative to making this decision.
The ‘Phone First’ service involves patients being assessed by a senior doctor over the phone and ensures people receive the right care, first time. This system is being implemented across the region and is consistent with the Department of Health’s Review of Urgent and Emergency Care services in Northern Ireland.
The Trust held a public consultation between 23 February and 22 April 2022 to seek public views on the temporary changes outlined above.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS
As part of the consultation, there were a range of opportunities for staff and the local community to provide their views. Further detail on the consultation process can be found in our consultation feedback report.
Consultation documentation is available below:
Link to Consultation questionnaire
In keeping with the commitments in our Equality Scheme we carried out an Equality Screening and Rural Needs Impact Assessment which can be viewed on the following links:
Link to Rural Needs Impact Assessment
CONSULTATION OUTCOME
The feedback received during the consultation process was presented to Trust Board on 29 June 2022. After careful consideration, the Trust Board approved the following recommendations:
- Continue with the temporary reduction in opening hours.
- Continue with the Phone First system.
- Temporarily rename the facility as an ‘Urgent Care Centre’ to better reflect the services currently delivered.
The above recommendations were made in the absence of any suggestions of viable alternatives to address the significant shortage of suitably qualified emergency medical staff during the consultation process, and to ensure we maintain high quality, safe standards of care for patients.
The Trust continues to monitor the ongoing impact of the temporary changes and will continue to make every effort to address the staffing challenges we face.
A summary of consultee feedback and the Trust’s response to the feedback can be found in the consultation feedback report available on the link below:
Link to Consultation Feedback Report
The Trust wishes to extend its thanks and appreciation to all those individuals, elected representatives, groups and organisations who responded to the consultation process.
If you have any queries please contact the Trust on 028 9055 0434 or email consultation@setrust.hscni.net.