From left to right: Professor Bengoa, Susan, Frazer Curry, Minister Mike Nesbitt and Karan Spence (Service Manager, The Arches Family Support Service)

Positive Futures was delighted to welcome Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and Prof Rafael Bengoa, who led a major review of health and social care in Northern Ireland, to one of its services in north Belfast, today.

Our Wheatfield Short Break Service offers residential short break support to allow families a break from their caring duties. The purpose-built facility can accommodate up to five people at any one time.

The Minister and Prof Bengoa met members of our staff, volunteers and carers and people supported by the Wheatfield Short Break Service, Families Matter Shared Lives Service and the Arches Family Support Service.

Minister Nesbitt said: “I am acutely aware of the very real challenges and difficulties faced by people with learning disabilities, families and carers and the vital role providers like Positive Futures play in supporting them to live fulfilling lives.

“Short Breaks are an important way that we support families and an area that we need to rapidly expand for children and adults. This will be achieved through collaborative work with the independent sector.”

Professor Bengoa said: “Engaging and supporting carers is a fundamental aspect of maintaining people within their own home and it is essential that the HSC continues to develop services in this area.”

Our Chief Executive Dr Agnes Lunny OBE said: “We hope this short glimpse at what we do will have given the Minister some pointers for his recently promised roadmap aimed, as he put it, at setting health and social care services on a clear path to recovery. We were delighted to welcome him together with Prof Bengoa, who, with his expert colleagues, recognised eight years ago that the system in Northern Ireland needed a radical transformation to make it fit for the future.

“We believe we have a major role to play in the future of social care in Northern Ireland, with our tailored support for individuals enabling people to live their best lives. We have shown repeatedly that we can provide high quality support and demonstrate better outcomes very cost-effectively. We were very pleased that both men heard directly from people and families we support. At the end of the day, theirs are the views that really count.”