The move will give patients and members of the public the opportunity to become involved as active partners in Galway University Hospitals (GUH) and advise hospital management on improving patient experience. The Patient Council is a partnership which brings together volunteers from the general public and senior hospital staff.
Niamh O’Brien, GUH Patient Advice and Liaison Service Co-ordinator, said: “We are committed to involving public and patient participation in the planning and implementation of health care in order to lead to better health outcomes and better quality of care. Patient partnerships are an important and valuable resource. We’re now looking for new members to join our Patient Council who will work with the Hospital Management team.
“The Patient Council will help us assess the current quality of service, recommend new services or changes required to existing services, review policies and procedures, oversee the development of patient involvement initiatives and help us communicate to the wider population. Members are invited to take part in various hospital committees contributing to the improvement of services for our patient and service users.”
Chris Kane, General Manager of Galway University Hospitals, thanked numerous patient partners who collaborated with staff members by sharing their personal opinions and experiences to enhance the health services.
“This valued link with the community we serve assists our staff by providing a patient’s perspective on the services we provide. We welcome applications from those interested in improving our health services, and we would particularly like to hear from people who have had direct contact with our hospitals as a patient or relative of a patient.”
If interested in becoming a member of the Patient Council or for more information phone 091-893191 or email [email protected] by Friday 18 April. Applicants will be invited for interview and successful candidates will have Garda vetting and reference checks before being invited to join the council.
