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Consultation Work
“Surviving the Troubles: The Experiences of Young People in the North West”
8th December 2004
Several past and current members attended this consultation with Jack Houlahan. The aims of the research are:
To discover what particular issues/problems/experiences young people connect directly to the Northern Ireland political conflict in the past or in the present.
To identify the kinds of services young people believe would be the most helpful to them in working through and going forward from those issues.
Dumfries and Galloway Youth Council
16th December 2004
Members of the above group from Scotland visited the FSYC office along with Sandy Holland from Community Connection to meet current Shadow Councillors and past members from the transport group. The Scottish group were particularly interested in learning about the work of the transport group and the bus shelter scheme they have been involved in.
FSYC also picked up some tips on project work and were particularly interested in the Young Scot Smart card that young people can use to pay for items such as their school lunch, school books and transport. It was a great opportunity to meet up with young people from another youth council.
North Down Councillor
2oth January 2005
Cllr Patricia Wallace and a politics student from North Down travelled to Fermanagh to find out more about FSYC as Cllr Wallace is interested in setting up a similar organisation in her area. As well as meeting and talking to Diane Noble she met Sh Cllrs and Delegates. She said “it was refreshing to see young people so enthusiastic about politics and prepared to give up their own time to make a difference in their community”.
Cllr Patricia Wallace felt that FSYC provided an excellent opportunity for students to come together, she also thought that it would be an interesting way for students from Bangor to develop better cross-community relationships. An article has been written for their local paper on FSYC.
Fermanagh Women’s Network
17th February 2005
Fermanagh Women’s Network's report “Stepping Out as Equals” was launched by two members of Fermanagh Shadow Youth Council. The Fermanagh Women’s Network aims to bring women from across the county together, regardless of political affiliation, to play their part in recognising the barriers women face in making their voice heard. However, the 57:43 per cent female to male ratio on Fermanagh Shadow Youth Council is an encouraging indication of how local democracy could be shaped. It also suggests that there is potential amongst younger women to run for political office.
REVIEW OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
2nd August 2005
Three members of Fermanagh Shadow Youth Council travelled to Belfast to participate in a consultation on the Review of Public Administration, organised by the Northern Ireland Youth Forum. During the day participants considered issues on our Education Boards, Health Boards and Councils and had the opportunity to say what they thought about proposed changes.
Youth Employment Regulations
A number of FSYC members went along to a consultation event about various apects of youth employment in Northern Ireland. The group looked the Current Law, the New Law changes, employment of children under school leaving age and the National Minimum Wage.
Vibe Magazine
Vibe magazine is a locally produced magazine covering local issues and events. Members met with the Editor to discuss a new youth magazine with young people deciding on the content and writing the articles. FSYC suggested Job Vacancies pages, text messaging friends and cinema reviews.
A Stich in Time Saves Lives
Thursday 4th May
The Department of Health, have issued a document ‘Improving Services for Major Trauma’ with proposals for changing the provision of major trauma services. They recommend ambulances by pass the Erne Hospital with critically ill trauma patients and take them straight to Royal because “it is not practical to equip or staff the Erne hospital to receive major trauma”. The Erne has always been allowed to receive, stabilise and resuscitate major trauma before transfer to the Royal. The hospital staff want to continue to do this. The DHSSPS report says, “There is evidence that 25-50% of major trauma cases reach hospital alive, but of those, almost one in three will subsequently die. Against a background of such high mortality, the goal must be to have a system that ensures all major trauma cases reach the appropriate hospital as quickly as possible in an effort to improve outcomes” In rural Fermanagh it can take an up to an hour from the time of accident to retrieve a patient as far as Enniskillen. It will take a further two hours to transport them to the Royal in Belfast. The Golden Hour from time of accident to receiving hospital treatment is recognised at EU, WHO and worldwide. Because Altnagelvin in Derry and Craigavon hospitals are to still be allowed to receive, resuscitate and stabilise trauma patients, the entire region of Fermanagh and some of south Tyrone would be the only areas in Northern Ireland left outside the critical hour for life saving hospital intervention within the Golden Hour.
The DHSSPS report says ‘the average age of patients with major trauma was 36, with a significant number of patients being between the ages of 16 and 35 years. The majority of trauma patients are admitted to hospital at weekends, and almost half are admitted between 8pm and 8am.’ ‘it is the most common cause of death in people under age 35 years. Most major trauma occurs as a result of motor vehicle collisions, while other significant causes include assault, falls, and burns’. Staff at the Erne hospital say the majority of major trauma cases they receive are young people, especially young males brought in following a car accident. The threat to life is mainly from punctured lungs, severe bleeding, or head injuries. Their lives can only be saved by reaching hospital ASAP. Paramedics do not carry blood, only fluids and they are not trained or equipped to possibly replace the consultant led 24hr A&E, diagnostics, anaesthetic, level 3 critical care, emergency surgery and medical services available at the Erne Hospital which these young people need. The DHSSPS report estimates costs of £200k per annum enhancing services at the Royal, new networks and trauma registry. Fermanagh youth say “What is the point of enhancing services at the Royal for trauma patients, if we have to by pass the Erne hospital we wont be alive by the time we get there!”.
Fermanagh Shadow Youth Council members are in opposition to this proposal: “Because major trauma is so time critical, and we are so far from Belfast, if we are to have a chance of survival, after a serious accident we need to be taken to the Erne Hospital within an hour for stabilisation and resuscitation before a two hour transfer on to the Royal’s trauma centre”
FSYC invited young people to gather in the Intec Centre on Thursday 4 May and have their faces painted like clocks to represent the Golden Hour. Delegates Marisa Cheah, Shadow and Kevin Monaghan and Sh Councillor Niall McGoldrick were interviewed by UTV and the BBC and the srory was covered by local and regional press. Congratulations also to Sh Cllr Niall McGoldrick who wrote the FSYC response to the consultation.
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