Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
{{Short description|State health organisation in Northern Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox NHS organisation
| name = Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
| logo = Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.svg
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| start_date = 1 April 2007
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| headquarters = 51 Lisburn Road
Belfast
BT9 7AB{{cite web |title=Belfast Trust Headquarters |url=http://www.belfasttrust.hscni.net/contact/2040.htm |website=Belfast Health and Social Care Trust |accessdate=6 December 2019}}
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| type = Health and social care trust
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| hospitals = {{Plainlist|
- Belfast City Hospital
- Forster Green Hospital
- Knockbracken Healthcare Park
- Mater Infirmorum Hospital
- Muckamore Abbey Hospital
- Musgrave Park Hospital
- Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children
- Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital
- Royal Victoria Hospital
}}
| staff = 19,732 (2018/19){{cite web |title=2018-19 Annual Report and Accounts |url=http://www.belfasttrust.hscni.net/pdf/BHSCT%20Annual%20Report%20and%20Accounts%202018-19.pdf |website=Belfast Health and Social Care Trust |accessdate=8 January 2020}}
| website = {{Official URL}}
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The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT) is a health organisation covering Belfast, Northern Ireland. The trust is one of five new trusts which were created on 1 April 2007 by the then Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS). The Belfast Trust employs 22,000 staff.{{cite web |url=http://www.belfasttrust.hscni.net/about/WorkingForUs.htm |title=About the trust: Working for us| publisher=Belfast Health and Social Care Trust|accessdate=4 August 2014}} It has responsibility for services to over 340,000 patients, provided at various hospitals including Belfast City Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Mater Hospital and Musgrave Park Hospital.[http://www.belfasttrust.hscni.net/trust/index.html Belfast Trust - Index]
History
The trust was established as the Belfast Health and Social Services Trust on 1 August 2006, and became operational on 1 April 2007.{{cite web |title=The Belfast Health and Social Services Trust (Establishment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2006 |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/292/introduction/made |website=legislation.gov.uk |accessdate=16 March 2020}}
Population
The area covered by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust has a population of 348,204 residents according to the 2011 Northern Ireland census.{{cite web|title=NI Census 2011 - Key Statistics Summary Report, September 2014|url=http://www.nisra.gov.uk/archive/census/2011/results/key-statistics/summary-report.pdf|website=NI Statistics and Research Agency|accessdate=28 September 2014}}
Services
The Trust opened a new supported housing scheme called Hemsworth Court costing £5 million with 35 apartments which aims to maintain the independence of people with dementia on Shankill Road in March 2015.{{cite news|title=£5M DEMENTIA HOUSING SCHEME OFFICIALLY OPENS IN BELFAST|url=http://www.careappointments.co.uk/care-news/northern-ireland/item/36702-5m-dementia-housing-scheme-officially-opens-in-belfast|accessdate=15 March 2015|publisher=Care Appointments|date=12 March 2015}}
The Duke of Connaught Unit, located within Musgrave Park Hospital, was opened in October 2022. It provides orthopaedic services for patients who do not need overnight stays. {{cite news |title=Health Minister opens new orthopaedics unit |url=https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/health-minister-opens-new-orthopaedics-unit |access-date=9 November 2022 |publisher=Department of Health |date=17 October 2022}}
Performance
In March 2016 the waiting time for routine spinal appointments was 110 weeks rising in four-weekly increments each month because capacity in Musgrave Park Hospital spinal service does not meet the current demand for services.{{cite news|title=Shock at two-year wait for spinal appointment|url=http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/health/shock-at-two-year-wait-for-spinal-appointment-1-7356951|accessdate=6 May 2016|publisher=Newsletter|date=29 April 2016}}
In April 2017 waiting time for paediatric ear surgery was around 30 weeks.{{cite news|title='My son has been in pain for three years, now he faces a further 30-week wait for ear surgery'|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/my-son-has-been-in-pain-for-three-years-now-he-faces-a-further-30week-wait-for-ear-surgery-35657846.html|accessdate=28 April 2017|publisher=Belfast Telegraph|date=28 April 2017}} In April 2022 there were 4,287 children who had been waiting a year or more for a first consultant led outpatient appointment.{{cite news |title=Northern Ireland waiting lists 'alarming' as 4,000 children waiting more than a year for appointment |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/northern-ireland-waiting-lists-alarming-25462602 |access-date=9 November 2022 |publisher=Belfast Live |date=8 November 2022}}
According to Stephen McCarroll, owner of Surgical Systems Ireland, and an independent candidate in the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election, the trust reorganised its finance department in January 2009 and suppliers’ bills were not paid on time.{{cite news|title=Independent candidate in long battle with Civil Service|url=http://www.banbridgeleader.co.uk/news/banbridge-news/independent-candidate-in-long-battle-with-civil-service-1-7350183|accessdate=6 May 2016|publisher=Banbridge Leader|date=27 April 2016}}
References
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