The Northern Ireland Confederation for Health and Social Services is the voice of management in the integrated Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS). Part of the UK-wide NHS Confederation, it is the only membership body for all HPSS organisations. At present, the membership includes all HSS boards and trusts, the Central Services Agency and five of the smaller HPSS bodies.

Membership will change as a result of the Review of Public Administration (RPA) as new health and social services bodies will be established. These changes will take place over the next two years.

The purpose of the Northern Ireland Confederation is to:

• influence policy on behalf of members
• brief members
• inform and influence the media and politicians about key issues in the HPSS
• connect members with the UK NHS Confederation.

The Northern Ireland Confederation is led by its Director, Alan Gilbert. The management of its overall strategy and activities is in the hands of the Northern Ireland Representatives' Group. It currently is made up of two trust chairs and one trust chief executive and of one board chair and one board chief executive elected by members.

The Review of Public Administration

The HPSS is going through a time of considerable and significant change.

On 22 November 2005, the then Minister Shaun Woodward MP announced the re-organisation of the HPSS as part of the RPA.

Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland will be administered by Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, whose primary function will be to set policy and targets and it will be a significantly smaller, more tightly focused body.

A Health and Social Services Authority (HSSA) will replace the existing four Boards and will be responsible for performance managing the health and social services. Seven primary-care led Local Commissioning Groups patterned on the proposed areas of the seven new district councils will also be established as local offices of the HSSA. Some functions of DHSSPS transferred to new body and will incorporate Health Promotion Agency.

• 18 trusts will be replaced by five integrated trusts from April 2007 and will be responsible for provision of services.
• The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service will continue to provide a regional ambulance service.
• four HSS councils will be replaced by a single Patient and Client Council which will engage with people and communities to promote health and wellbeing.
  
  

Download the latest update from the Northern Ireland Confederation.