Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Committee offers support to all our members in Northern Ireland and works to improve all aspects of clinical science in hospital laboratories across the province. We also join with our colleagues at a national level to take clinical biochemistry, immunology & microbiology forward as a vital part of the modern health service.

Northern Ireland Committee

  • Dr Kathryn Ryan  - Chair & Representative on Council

  • Mr Neil Gilmore - Secretary & Treasurer

  • Dr Kirsty Spence - Meetings Secretary

  • Dr Amy Wotherspoon - Trainees Representative

  • Dr Michelle Hookham - Regional Tutor

  • Dr Derek McKillop - Federation of Clinical Scientists Representative

  • Dr Jenny Hamilton - Workforce Advisory Committee Representative

  • Dr Brona Roberts - Regional Audit Chair

  • Dr Alison Watt - Microbiology Representative

  • Mr Neil Gilmore - Webmaster

 

Northern Ireland Audit Group

The Northern Ireland regional audit group continually evaluates services to make sure they meet standards of practice and performance. 

Northern Ireland Audit Group

  • Regional Audit Chair - Dr Brona Roberts

 

Federation of Clinical Scientists in Northern Ireland

The Federation of Clinical Scientists is a certificated trade union which represents the interests of Clinical Scientists. The Federation is responsible for the collective negotiating and representing individual members in the NHS at local, Trust and National levels and with Public Health England and NHS Blood and Transplant. In the Northern Ireland context this includes a seat on the Northern Ireland Trade Union Forum and Trust Trade Union Fora.

Northern Ireland Federation of Clinical Scientists representatives

  • Northern Ireland Federation Representative - Dr Derek McKillop, Consultant Clinical Biochemist, Southern HSC Trust
  • Belfast HSC Trust Local Representative -  Dr Ian Wilson, Consultant Microbiologist
  • Western HSC Trust Local Representative -  Dr Alison Watt, Clinical Scientist (Virology)
  • South Eastern HSC Trust Local Representative -  Mrs Ellie Duly, Consultant Biochemist
  • Southern HSC Trust Local Representative -  Dr Derek McKillop, Consultant Biochemist
  • Northern HSC Trust Local Representative -  Vacant

 

Northern Ireland Pathology Network

The Northern Ireland Pathology Network was established in 2009 to provide:

  • Direction and consistency in the development and delivery of the Pathology Network Strategic Plan, and in the delivery of pathology services within Northern Ireland.
  • Resolved advice to the Health and Social Care Commissioner on commissioning pathology services that are in line with current best practice and the wider regional strategy.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Northern Ireland Pathology Network Board

  • Northern Ireland Pathology Network Board Chair - Jennifer Welsh, Interim Chief Executive, Northern HSC Trust
  • Northern Ireland Pathology Network Board Clinical Director - Dr Michael Ryan, Consultant Chemical Pathologist

The Network Board includes representation from:

  • Five Health and Social Care Trusts - both clinical and executive representation
  • Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety
  • Health and Social Care Board, Public Health Agency
  • Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service
  • Patient Client Council
  • Royal College of Pathologists
  • Business Services Organisation's Procurement & Logistics Service
  • University of Ulster
  • Queens University Belfast
  • Association of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine
  • Institute of Biomedical Scientists
  • Northern Ireland Pathology Network Speciality Fora Chairs

 

Regional laboratories

Northern HSC Trust

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust provides health and social care services across ten council areas - Antrim, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Cookstown, Larne, Magherafelt, Moyle and Newtownabbey, providing services for a population of approximately 460,000. It also provides services to Rathlin, the only inhabited island in Northern Ireland.

Acute and emergency hospital services are based on two main sites, at Antrim Area Hospital and at Causeway Hospital in Coleraine. A range of non-acute services are provided at Whiteabbey and Mid Ulster sites. Services are also provided from Braid Valley Hospital in Ballymena, Dalriada Hospital in Ballycastle, Moyle Hospital in Larne and Robinson Hospital in Ballymoney.

Holywell Hospital is a 165 bedded psychiatric hospital based in Antrim. It is the base for a wide range of mental health and addiction services. The Trust also provides mental health services from the 23 bedded Ross Thompson Unit in Coleraine.

Trust website
Laboratory Website

Belfast HSC Trust

Belfast Health and Social Care Trust delivers integrated health and social care to 340,000 people in Belfast and part of the Borough of Castlereagh. It also provides specialist services to all of Northern Ireland.  With an annual budget of approximately £1bn (spending about £3m each day) and a staff of 20,000, it is one of the largest Trusts in the United Kingdom.

Acute services and emergency services are provided across three sites at Royal Victoria Hospital (includes Royal Jubilee Maternity Service & Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children), Belfast City Hospital & Mater Hospital. A range of non-acute services are provided at Musgrave Park Hospital, Forster Green Hospital and Knockbracken Healthcare Park.

Trust website
Laboratory website

South Eastern HSC Trust

The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust provides acute hospital services and community health and social services to the local government districts of Ards, North Down, Down and Lisburn, a population of approximately 345,000.

Acute and emergency services are provided at Lagan Valley Hospital, Ulster Hospital and Downe Hospital with non-acute services provided at Ards Community Hospital and Bangor Community Hospital.

Trust website
Laboratory website

Southern HSC Trust

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust provides health and social care services across the five council areas of Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon, Dungannon, and Newry and Mourne. The Trust employs approximately 13,000 staff and spends £532 million annually in the delivery of health and social care services.

Acute and emergency services are provided at Craigavon Area Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital with a number of other non-acute services provided at Lurgan Hospital, South Tyrone Hospital, St Luke’s Hospital and Armagh Community Hospital.

Trust website
Laboratory website
POCT website

Western HSC Trust

The Western Health & Social Care Trust provides health and social care services across five council areas of Limavady, Londonderry, Strabane, Omagh and Fermanagh.  The Trust employs approximately 12,000 staff and spends £459 million annually in the delivery of health and social care services.

Acute services are provided at Altnagelvin Area Hospital and South West Acute Hospital with a number of other services provided at Tyrone County Hospital, Tyrone & Fermanagh Hospital, Lakeview Hospital and Waterside Hospital sites.

Laboratory website