News Archive 2000
Click on the titles below to check out 2000 news and press releases relating to NISCC. Earlier material for previous years can be accessed by clicking on the links on the left hand side.
Minister Introduces the Health and Personal Social Services Bill
(DHSSPS NI Press Release 2 October 2000)
The Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Ms Bairbre de Brún MLA, today introduced the Health and Personal Social Services Bill into the Assembly. One of the main purposes of the Bill is to establish a Social Care Council here. The main responsibilities of the Council will be to regulate the standards of conduct and practice of social services staff, registering key groups of staff and regulating professional social work education and training.
The Minister said: "There is an urgent need to introduce better regulation of social workers and others who work in social care settings. The legislation I am introducing today will improve protection offered to vulnerable people, and raise standards of practice through better training and workforce regulation."
The Bill will also establish the power to abolish GP fundholding, and confer power to regulate the profession of pharmaceutical chemist.
The Minister said: "This Bill deals with a wide range of issues which impact on the organisation of the health and personal social services here. The progress of the Bill through the Assembly is of vital importance. It is essential that it is processed with all due urgency."
Other areas which the Bill will address include measures to prevent fraud. It is estimated that in 1998/99, about £12 million was lost to the HPSS through fraudulent evasion of health service charges.
The Health and Personal Social Services Bill will also make provision about the recovery of charges in connection with the treatment of road traffic casualties in hospitals.
Ms de Brún continued: "The introduction of the Health and Personal Social Services Bill to the Assembly demonstrates the benefits of having a locally accountable administration here. It is to everyone's advantage that there are now local people taking local decisions on the issues that really matter to people."
"A First Class Service" PSS Training Strategy 2000-2003 Launched
TOPSS NI April 2000
"A First Class Service" - Training Strategy for the Personal Social Services 2000-2003, was produced by TOPSS Northern Ireland on behalf of DHSSPS NI. The Strategy aims to provide an education and training framework that equips staff with the knowledge and skills to deliver quality care services, which meet the needs of users of services and their carers.
Social Care has been one of the fastest growing employment sectors in recent years and the workforce now numbers around 30,000 in Northern Ireland. They are employed by Health and Social Service Trusts and a large number of independent employers in the private, voluntary and community sectors. It is estimated that some 80% of the workforce have no social care qualifications and standards of care vary widely.
Copies of the strategy have been circulated to stakeholders across the personal social services sector. TOPSS (NI) staff have been working with employers on implementing the principles and targets contained in the strategy. A review of progress will be carried out by 31/05/2001.
Copies of the strategy are available from NISCC Information Service or telephone 02890 417600. You can download a Training Strategy update leaflet from the Careers and Training section of this site.
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