Issue 39 - Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Director’s Take: Paul Morgan
Paul Morgan has recently taken up post as
Director of Children and Young People’s
Services. Paul has over 30 years’ experience in
a range of Child Care Services and over 12 years senior
management experience. He qualifi ed in 1979 with a
BA Hons Degree in Social Work. He was Acting Director
in the Craigavon & Banbridge Community Trust from
2004-2007 and has been the Southern Trust’s Assistant
Director for Safeguarding and Family Support since April
2007. Paul chairs the Southern Trust Child Protection
Panel, as well as being a member of the Regional Child
Protection Committee. He has signifi cant experience of
service reform and represents the Trust on the Regional
Reference Group for Safeguarding Board NI and the
Regional Reforming and Modernising Children’s Services
Implementation Group
A Director’s take on: your recent appointment
I am really pleased to be appointed as the Director of
Children and Young People’s Services. My entire working
career has been spent in the area of Child Care Services
and I am delighted and privileged to have this opportunity
to work as Director, in driving forward the services we
provide.
A Director’s take on: the best bits of the job
The best bits of the job are working with a diverse range
of staff who have a vast amount of knowledge, skills
and experience. We couldn’t provide services without
them. I value the input and dedication of all staff working
in the Directorate to ensure that we continue to deliver
high quality services for children, young people and their
families.
A Director’s take on: the worst bits of the job
With the demands of the post, means that I have less
time to meet with staff and receive direct feedback from
those staff providing frontline services. Also the endless
number of e-mails.
St Luke’s Hospital Gala Ball
Over 400 people attended the Gala Ball at Armagh City
Hotel recently to celebrate healthcare provision at St
Luke’s Hospital from its foundation in 1821.
The Ball, which marked the 190th anniversary of the
Armagh hospital, was organised by St Luke’s Social and
Recreational Club and coincided with an exhibition.
Speaking at the Ball, the Chief Executive Mairead
McAlinden said, “Since its foundation in 1821 as the
first purpose built hospital of its kind in Ireland and the
Western world, St Luke’s Hospital has provided a centre
for innovation in the care of people with mental illness.
St Luke’s shows that the models of care developed here
have led the way and shaped the provision of mental
health hospital treatment in Northern Ireland, nationally
and internationally.
A Director’s take on: the
challenges facing Children
and Young People’s
Services
A major challenge is the
current economic climate and
the financial issues that the
Trust and the entire Health
and Social Care family faces.
We all recognize that there
is a need to make further
efficiencies while at the same
time providing a wide range
Paul Morgan
of services that make a real
difference to the lives and
futures of young people and
their families. They are our focus and priority.
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A Director’s take on: the future of Children and
Young People’s Services
Early intervention and prevention is key in Children’s and
Young People’s services and we need to further develop
partnerships with the community and voluntary sector
to deliver on promoting and supporting these goals.
We need to continue to provide a range of universally
accessible services for Children and Young People but
continue to deliver on new innovative specialist services
for specific groups, such as children with autism. We
need to ensure that young people and their families and
carers have access to information on and contribute
to services provided by the statutory, voluntary and
community sectors at local and regional levels.
A Director’s take on: relaxing away from work
I currently manage the under 16 football team in my local
community. I enjoy playing golf and walking my dog,
Toby. I have also started running again after recently
taking part in the Belfast marathon.
“Buildings don’t provide care, people do, and we have
been fortunate that so many people working in the service
based in St Luke’s Hospital and in our communities have
had the vision and drive to improve care and treatment for
mental health.
“We must pay tribute to these staff, past and present, who
have been at the cutting edge of mental health care, and
who have continually shaped and infl uenced the policy,
strategy and model of care for mental health care. The
purpose of St Luke’s has changed over the years, but
the ethos and values that drove its establishment 190
years ago have not changed. They are to provide the best
possible care for people with mental illness and to treat
them with compassion and humanity.”
Congratulations, Ruth
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Ruth Carroll, Health Visitor Team Manager based in Dungannon,
graduated on 2 July with a PhD in Life and Health Sciences. The subject
of Ruth’s research was the Health Visitor’s response to family violence
and abuse – a grounded theory study, and although relevant to Health
Visiting practice it can be adapted by other professionals. Ruth was
runner-up in the RCN Chief Nursing Offi cer’s Award for Patient Safety
2010. Ruth and her team were nominated for the work they carried out
in identifying a number of non-English speaking clients who had been
victims of domestic violence and offering them support on accessing
services and developing personal safety plans.
Julie McConville, Head of Health Visiting and School Nursing; Francis Rice, Executive
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Director of Nursing; and Ruth Carroll, Health Visitor Team Manager