O’Neill announces details of health and social care Transformation Advisory Board
By News Northern Ireland, , ,

Northern Ireland Health Minister Michelle O’Neill has announced the transformation oversight structure aiming to drive change in the health and social care system.

The Minister has announced the establishment of a Transformation Advisory Board to oversee the direction and speed of reform and a Transformation Implementation Group to manage the implementation of the transformation set out in the Minister’s vision, ‘Health and Wellbeing 2026, Delivering Together’.

The Minister said: “Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together’ provides a roadmap for radical transformation in the health and social care system. Given the size and scale of the challenge ahead we need to start now to properly plan, implement and embed the whole-system transformation. That transformation begins with the leadership and structure to drive change, with the involvement of service providers and users.”

Michelle O’Neill said: “I am committed to playing my part in making change happen and will chair the Transformation Advisory Board, which will provide the strategic leadership and oversight required to deliver reform in health and social care.

“Membership of this Board will be drawn from the field of independent experts, trade unions, service user and community and voluntary sector representatives along with the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health. I am delighted that Professor Rafael Bengoa (pictured) and Mairead McAlinden have agreed to continue their involvement with us, and will be members of this Board.

“A Transformation Implementation Group has also been established. This group, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health includes clinical experts, leaders from the wider health and social care system and other partners, to drive forward the process of implementation. The first meeting of this group took place on 21 November 2016.”

The Minister concluded:  “It’s important to get the structures in place at this early stage to drive the co-designed, co-produced service change right across the health and social care system.”

The ?Transformation Advisory Board is as follows:

  • Michelle O’Neill (Chair)
  • Richard Pengelly (on the Board in his role as Chair of the Transformation Implementation Group)
  • Professor Rafael Bengoa (Chair of the Expert Panel)
  • Mairead McAlinden (member on the Expert Panel)
  • Maria Somerville (user representative)
  • Brian O’Hagan (user representative)
  • Seamus McAleavey (community and voluntary sector rep)
  • Trade union rep nominated from the NIC-ICTU Health Committee