Volunteers sought to strengthen the voice of patients at Limerick hospitals

VOLUNTEERS are being sought to help improve services across UL Hospitals Group by joining the Patient Council.

The Patient Council was established in 2016 and provides an independent voice for patients, service users and their families.

It gives patients and members of the public the opportunity to become involved as active partners in UL Hospitals Group and to advise hospital management on improving patient experience.

The Council, a partnership which brings together volunteers from the general public and senior hospital staff, is currently looking to increase the number of public members.

Expressions of interest are now being sought from people who have had experience of University Hospital Limerick, Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital or University Maternity Hospital Limerick.

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In recent years, the work of the Council has resulted in or influenced a number of significant initiatives across the six hospital sites. These have included improvements in patient meals, internal road network safety and disabled parking, hospital signage and patient communications.

John Hannafin, chairman of the Patient Council, said that in the course of its ordinary work and through its engagement on a wide range of hospital committees including nutrition and hydration, end-of-life care, patient flow, and many others.

“We are now looking forward to building on this work and strengthening the voice of patients through bolstering the membership of the Council. We are appealing to members of the public who have had direct experience of HSE acute hospitals in this region - either as a patient or as a relative – to consider making an application to join the Patient Council. This work can make a difference,” he said.

Declan McNamara, chief director of nursing and midwifery at UL Hospitals Group and vice-chair of the Patient Council, added: “We have various ways of gathering patient feedback, through surveys, through research and quality improvement projects, through the complaints process and by other means. In the shape of the Patient Council, we also have a formal structure that meets regularly and through which the voice of our service users and their loved ones is articulated and acted upon.

Applicants will be invited for interview and successful candidates will undergo garda vetting and reference checks before being invited to join the Patient Council which meets every six to eight weeks.

If you are interested in becoming part of the UL Hospitals Group Patient Council, email uhlpals@hse.ie or phone (061) 727185/(061) 485259. 

The deadline for receipt of applications is December 22.