HomeApril 2014Managing and learning from a crisis

Managing and learning from a crisis

A major UK four country conference on “Response, Recovery and Resilience – How health and social care organisations cope when things go wrong” is being held by the Institute of Healthcare Management and the Royal Society for Public Health in the Europa Hotel Belfast on June 4, 2014. This is the first ever joint RSPH IHM national conference since the merger of the two organisations in 2012.

The Conference will look at the managerial, clinical, legal and communications issues facing managers when serious adverse incidents occur in their areas.

Louise McMahon, Chair of the IHM Northern Ireland Division, which is organising the Conference, said that every health and social care manager and clinical leader should be familiar with how to deal with serious incidents which often have a high profile in the media and might lead to public concern about a service. This could filter through to patients and families and in turn lead to anxiety for them and place added pressure and stress on staff across an organisation.

“This conference will provide a unique opportunity for managers and staff who may be faced with managing the response to serious adverse incidents to hear case studies, personal experience and lessons learnt from those who have been involved in outbreaks of diseases including pseudomonas and C. difficile as well as how even a single case may highlight the need to change systems.” She said. “We are very pleased to be hosting this important conference in Belfast and to welcome people from across the UK and Ireland.”

Speakers include:

Prof. Pat Troop, former Chief Executive of the Health Protection Agency, Vice Chair Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust who led the independent review of the incidents of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and colonisation in neo-natal augmented settings in Northern Ireland.

Dame Deirdre Hine, former Chief Medical Officer for Wales and Director of Breast Cancer Screening Service Wales, who chaired the Public Inquiry into the deaths which resulted from the Clostridium Difficile infection(CDI) at hospitals in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.

Dr. Bharat Patel, Consultant Medical Microbiologist Public Health Laboratory, Public Health, England, who served on review panels for the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, Northern Ireland and Health Inspectorate for Wales investigating outbreak of Clostridium Difficile in acute hospitals.

Alphy McGuinness, Chief Legal Advisor, Northern Ireland Health and Social Care on the legal aspects which many clinicians and managers will face in their careers when serious adverse incidents occur.

Maureen Browne, Journalist. Editor of Health Manager and crisis consultant who will speak on media issues when things go wrong.

Bookings to David Southgate, Membership and Events Officer, IHM, John Snow House, 59 Mansell Street, London E1 8AN on: 00 44 20 7265 7321 or d.southgate@ihm.org.uk