Policy responses and statements

Name of organisation:

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS)

Name of policy document:

Consultation on the Northern Ireland Clinical Excellence Awards Scheme 2010-2011

Deadline for response:

22 April 2011

Background: Clinical Excellence Awards are given to recognise and reward the exceptional personal contribution of consultants who show commitment to achieving the delivery of high quality care to patients and to the continuous improvement of Health and Social Care.

There are 12 levels of award. Lower awards (steps 1-8) are made by local (employer) committees. These primarily reward outstanding contributions to local service delivery and priorities. Higher awards are recommended by the Northern Ireland Clinical Excellence Awards Committee (NICEAC). For higher awards contributions at regional, national and international level are important. Self-nomination is the only method of application within the scheme. Consultants who have at least three year’s experience at consultant level can apply for a local award, and, for higher awards, consultants must have achieved a minimum of four local awards to become eligible.

The Department is currently consulting with relevant stakeholders regarding the 2010-2011 awards round. Comments on the consultation paper were invited.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY (DHSSPS)
CONSULTATION ON THE NORTHERN IRELAND CLINICAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS SCHEME 2010-2011

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh is pleased to respond to the DHSSPS’s consultation on the Northern Ireland Clinical Excellence Awards Scheme 2010-2011.

The College entirely appreciates the circumstances which give rise to this consultation and notes with great disappointment that excellence awards were frozen in Scotland last year.  As an organisation promoting the highest standards in medicine, we will continue to contribute to the UK-wide review being undertaken by the DDRB and would wish to see excellence rewarded, particularly in respect of service delivery, teaching and training, team working and patient safety.

The College also supports equity across the UK, and hopes that one model for Leadership and Excellence Awards can be accepted and adopted UK-wide.  If there were to be different systems across the four nations, this could impact on recruitment to both trainee and consultant posts in Northern Ireland and, in particular, on the career aspirations and intentions of local trainees destined to become your future consultant workforce.  We have made these points forcefully to the Scottish Government.

The College believes, therefore, that clinical excellence awards are important to the maintenance of quality of healthcare in Northern Ireland and would encourage you to continue the current system pending the outcome of the DDRB review.

Copies of this response are available from:

Lesley Lockhart,
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh,
9 Queen Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1JQ.

Tel: 0131 225 7324 ext 608
Fax: 0131 220 3939

[8 April 2011]