Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey today endorsed a new guide for healthcare staff which aims to help improve the standard of care provided to patients.

The Minister reaffirmed his commitment to improve the care and experience that can be expected by all people who access Health and Social Care (HSC) services in Northern Ireland, by following up on the five Standards for improving the Patient & Client Experience, which were launched in November last year.

All Health and Social Care Staff will now be provided with a pocket sized version of the standards which relate to respect, attitude, behaviour, communication, privacy and dignity. The pocket guide includes real testimonies of patient experiences provided by each of the HSC Trusts.

Launching the pocket sized version of the standards the Minister said: “All of us, whether as patients or staff, want to be treated courteously, with dignity, respect and sensitivity. I want to ensure that appropriate systems are put in place to enable the achievement of the standards outlined in Improving the Patient and Client Experience and commit ourselves to a service that integrates these standards into all that we do.”

The newly appointed Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals at the Public Health Agency, Mary Hinds, who was involved in the development of the standards, and who will be taking forward these standards, in cooperation with the HSC Trusts said: “These standards help strengthen the position of patients and clients, at the heart of the health and social care service. Staff in the HSC do an exceptional job caring for all of us when we are at our most vulnerable and in need. The hand held booklet illustrates the difference all staff can make to the experiences of patients and clients.”