The Chair of the Urology Services Inquiry, Christine Smith, has made a final call to any families or patients who believe their experiences fall within the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference, to come forward and complete the questionnaire on the Inquiry’s website before the 31st of October.
Established to review the Southern Health and Social Care Trust’s handling of urology services prior to May 2020, the Inquiry held a series of private hearings with patients and families, in advance of the official opening last year, to learn first-hand about their experiences with the Trust.
The final call for patients or families to get in contact, comes as the Inquiry continues to hear evidence from clinicians who worked in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust’s Urology service.
While it is not expected that any further patient evidence will be heard this year, hearings will continue into early 2024.
Commenting Christine Smith said, “The evidence we have heard has been of great benefit in understanding what happened within the Trust’s Urology Services and while the work of the Inquiry is focused on issues and systems of governance, behind those issues are patients and families who were adversely affected by the treatment that they received from the Trust. I would like to encourage anyone who wishes to let us know about their experiences to contact us by the 31st of October and I would assure them that they will be treated sensitively throughout the process. The Inquiry recognises that many more patients and families have been contacted in recent months by the Trust and would welcome hearing from any of those who wish to tell us about what happened to them or their family member. ”
Anyone who wishes to inform the Inquiry can do so by downloading a questionnaire from www.urologyservicesinquiry.org.uk. A copy can also be accessed by telephoning: 02890 251141.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The hearings will take place at the Inquiry’s hearing chamber in Bradford Court, Belfast. Core participants and witnesses have had the opportunity to view the Chamber.
- The transcripts will be redacted in order to ensure that details from which the patient could be identified are hidden and in place of the patient’s name the designation that the Inquiry has given to the patients will be used.
- The transcripts will be made available as soon as possible after the hearings taking place.
- The hearings which are set to take place in November will be made public.
- Anyone who wishes to inform the Inquiry of their experiences can do so by downloading a questionnaire from www.urologyservicesinquiry.org.uk. A copy can also be accessed by telephoning: 02890 251141 and giving the team a name and address.
- For media queries contact Shane Finnegan shane@aikenpr.com or 07764534565.