resilient northern ireland a call to action

Resilient Northern Ireland A call to action

Photos Cover © Martin Hookway/BRC, © Brian Morrison/BRC, © Derek Gordon, © Carla Dow/BRC. Page 3 © Aaron McCracken/UNP. Page 4 © Derek Gordon/BRC. Page 5 © Layton Thompson. Page 6 © Martin Hookway. Page 8 © Patrick Harrison. Page 9 © Jonathan Banks. Page 12 © Anthony Upton/BRC.

Resilient Northern Ireland 1

Contents

> A call to action for a stronger Northern Ireland

> A comprehensive framework on emergency response

> An annual preparedness week for Northern Ireland

> Delivering health and social care in Northern Ireland

> Humanitarian and resilient communities

> Supporting new arrivals to Northern Ireland

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2 Resilient Northern Ireland

Every day, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement helps people in crisis, working in 188 countries around the world.

The Red Cross in Northern Ireland reaches out to support individuals, communities and other organisations at times of crisis via our local network of 60 staff and 800 volunteers.

As an auxiliary to government, we provide support to the emergency services and other statutory bodies in an emergency. We also provide: services to individuals, families and communities in times of crisis, meeting their immediate needs and supporting them through their recovery; health and social care services; support and information to vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers; and a programme of humanitarian education in schools and with youth groups. We are part of an international network dedicated to humanitarian assistance.

All of our work is guided by the Movement’s fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

We face many challenges at home and overseas. The global economic downturn, natural disasters, disease pandemics, climate change and conflict threaten the well-being, livelihoods and lives of vulnerable people in Northern Ireland and around the world.

By better integrating the expertise of the Red Cross, and its staff and volunteers, into civil society, we believe Northern Ireland can become a stronger, safer and more resilient place.

This document is based on our values and principles as well as our experience of dealing with some of Northern Ireland’s most vulnerable people over several decades. It outlines a series of simple changes which we believe can enhance the work of the Red Cross, and that of our statutory and voluntary partners, and thereby maximise the support we provide in Northern Ireland to those most in need. Sharon Sinclair Operations director for Northern Ireland

A call to action for a stronger Northern Ireland


1 Emergency preparedness and recovery > an annual ‘preparedness week’ to improve the ability of communities and individuals to withstand and recover from a range of emergencies

> the establishment of preventative measures such as a flood alert phone service to help avoid damage and distress

> the introduction of overarching civil contingencies legislation to bring consistency to the structures and delivery of emergency response across Northern Ireland.

2 Health and social care at home > increased investment in preventative community support services to maintain health and well-being and reduce unnecessary admissions to hospital or residential care

> an increase in health and social care services that enable people to regain their independence in their own home

> the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) to promote actively the

added value of voluntary sector providers of high quality health and social care.

3 Building more humane and resilient communities > the growth of safer and more resilient communities through focussed humanitarian education programmes for young people, and through increasing the levels of first aid skills in the community

> increased levels of first aid knowledge among drivers to contribute to ongoing road safety strategies in Northern Ireland.

4 Refugees and asylum seekers > access to free primary care for asylum seekers, as well as the opportunity to learn English on arrival

> the publishing of specific Northern Ireland data on asylum seekers to help policy makers plan services.

We call on politicians in Northern Ireland to support:


A comprehensive framework on emergency response

The Red Cross in Northern Ireland works with the emergency services to provide humanitarian assistance to individuals and communities affected by local emergencies and major incidents. We support partners including emergency services such as the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, health and social care trusts and utilities companies.

Our support includes specialist response teams providing first aid, psychosocial support, emergency drivers and specialist vehicles and equipment, through formal arrangements with our partners. Our ambulances and crews support the NI Ambulance Service in major incidents, and our fire and emergency support service (FESS) teams provide practical

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support for people affected by fires or flooding.

How we helpThe Red Cross supports statutory partners during severe weather incidents, flooding, security alerts, transport accidents, house fires, power outages and in searches for people who have gone missing. During severe flooding in Belfast and Fermanagh in recent years, we helped residents displaced from their homes through emergency support centres, emotional support and signposting. Flooding is a cause of significant concern for some communities, with around 46,000 houses in Northern Ireland within the river and coastal flood plain. Throughout the winter of 2010/11, the Red Cross deployed specialist teams and vehicles to support people across Northern Ireland during a period of severe weather. Our innovative partnership with a local 4x4 dealership meant we were able to help almost 800 people by delivering essential services including the distribution of food, bottled water and medication, particularly to vulnerable households, as well as transporting emergency staff and nurses to essential home visits. The Red Cross is now recognised as the leading third sector agency in dealing with emergencies in Northern Ireland.

Following the winter emergencies in 2010/11, the Civil Contingencies Group (NI), led by the Office of

the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, reviewed emergency planning in Northern Ireland and issued a range of new protocols for local councils to consider enacting. We welcome this initiative and would like to see further measures to support local councils so we can have a more consistent and planned response to local emergencies across the whole of Northern Ireland.


> the introduction of overarching civil contingencies legislation to bring consistency to the structures and delivery of emergency response across all areas of Northern Ireland.


An annual preparedness week for Northern Ireland

It is difficult to predict when an emergency will take place, but it is far easier to ensure that individuals and communities have the ability to withstand and recover from emergencies. Planning for emergencies and being prepared will ensure that Northern Ireland is stronger and more resilient. We believe it is essential that communities are directly involved in preparing and planning for potential risks in their areas, through local representatives.

Red Cross research into the impact of flooding in Greater Belfast and Fermanagh has demonstrated the need for community preparedness and there are many ways that leaders and policy makers, working with the voluntary sector, can help communities to co-ordinate their resources and expertise in a way that complements the efforts of the statutory services.

The most basic of these are raising awareness and improving education. These activities will encourage people to plan for a crisis situation, prepare themselves by ensuring they have the resources they need, and feel confident and empowered to respond in an appropriate way.


> an annual ‘preparedness week’ to improve the ability of individuals and communities to withstand and recover from emergencies in their area. The promotion of community self-help schemes will help local communities to work with emergency responders to identify, plan and be prepared for local risks

> the introduction of a flood alert phone service, similar to the one in Great Britain, to help people living in flooding hot spots receive an early call if the threat of flooding arises in their area.


Delivering health and social care in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland’s healthcare needs are changing. Our population is getting older and developments in medicines and health technologies mean that more of us are able to live independently for longer – provided the right support services are available at the right time and in the right place.

The Northern Ireland Executive is reforming how it delivers health and social care to reflect these changing needs. The Red Cross welcomes moves towards greater patient-centred care with health services increasingly delivered flexibly in the home and community, as described in the Transforming Your Care review. The implementation of these recommendations will be vital to delivering the change we need.

How we help The Red Cross has over 30 years’ experience of delivering health and social care programmes and is registered with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority for the provision of some of our services, which:

> help people live independently in their own homes

> reduce admissions to hospital, residential care and nursing care

> facilitate early discharge following a personal crisis.

Working across all five health and social care trust areas, the Red Cross provides support based on promoting people’s independence, choice, dignity and respect. We use a combination of staff and volunteers, who are highly trained and skilled, to develop and deliver our services in conjunction with service users and their families.

Promoting independence We provide intensive support after someone returns home following a period in hospital or residential care, or after a serious illness or onset of disability. We can, for example, provide mobility aids, or help with the shopping or cooking. Our staff and volunteers will work with a service user, normally for up to three months. We will help them maximise their long-term independence and minimise the need for ongoing care. Early intervention and support of this type can prevent vulnerable people developing complex, long-term support needs. This service is often delivered as part of a wider package of specialist care and support including other agencies.


From hospital to home We provide basic support for people when they are discharged from hospital, making sure their home is ready for them to return to, with food in the fridge and heating on. Our staff and volunteers also befriend vulnerable people and carry out other practical tasks such as shopping, collecting prescriptions, and transport to and from outpatient appointments.

Care in the home We can form part of a multi-agency response to help a vulnerable person avoid entering hospital or a care home, or to get them out of statutory care more quickly. This gives service users maximum independence and enables them to live at home. The support would usually last around six to eight weeks and be delivered according to a personal support plan.

Loans of essential equipmentThe Red Cross is contracted with all five health and social care trusts to provide short-term loans of medical equipment including wheelchairs and other mobility aids. This can help an individual get out and about while recovering from an injury or illness enabling them to live more independently.


> an immediate increase in investment in preventative community support services that maintain health and well-being and reduce unnecessary admissions to hospital or residential care

> the progressive increase of health and social care services that enable people to regain their independence in their own home

> the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to promote actively the added value of the third sector as a key delivery partner in health and social care.


Humanitarian and resilient communities

Humanitarian education The Red Cross holds a unique position as a global, volunteer-led, politically neutral organisation. Our response to the humanitarian consequences of conflict or natural disaster is always underpinned by our impartiality and neutrality. Our humanitarian education programmes help children and young

people explore issues and values that enable them to understand, cope with and respond to crisis, both locally and globally. They help children and young people to make sense of what it means to be a humanitarian citizen; how to deal with and respect difference; and to see themselves as humanitarian actors in their communities.


We believe that humanitarian education can help tackle issues such as sectarianism and racism and help build a more integrated society. A Red Cross report shows that humanitarian education interventions made the biggest positive impact on young people with the deepest negative views towards migrants and ‘others’.

Our humanitarian education programmes are particularly relevant here in Northern Ireland and make a significant contribution towards the aims, objectives and intended outcomes of the NI curriculum, youth work curriculum, the ten-year strategy for children and young people in Northern Ireland (2006-2016) and the forthcoming cohesion, sharing and integration strategy.

How we helpEvery year in Northern Ireland, Red Cross engages with 8,000 children and young people through schools, youth groups, youth clubs and societies, delivering humanitarian education programmes designed to build their resilience and confidence, willingness and ability to take humanitarian action. Red Cross research shows that teachers in Northern Ireland believe working with young people to build resilience can achieve independence, confidence, team-working skills and coping strategies, all of which are essential to building the next generation of humanitarian citizens.

First aidWe want to help people in Northern Ireland feel confident, willing and able to help themselves and others if they encounter an accident or health emergency in the home, school, workplace or community. In 2010, over 7,000 children under the age of four presented at the Altnagelvin Area Hospital accident and emergency department with accidental injuries such as scalds and injuries from falls or choking. Many of these could have been treated by someone with knowledge of basic first aid.

Each year the Red Cross trains over 3,000 people in first aid in Northern Ireland, half of whom are from groups most likely to deal with health emergencies. These include elderly people, people working with young children, carers and their families and people living in rural communities. The number of people dying on Northern Ireland’s roads has been decreasing over the last ten years. We welcome ongoing efforts by the Executive to reduce these further, in particular through the 2010 road safety strategy.

However, even in 2010, more than one person a week was killed on Northern Ireland’s roads. We believe that the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads could be reduced even further through a widespread knowledge of first aid among road users.


There is strong clinical evidence showing how, in some cases, first aid can be a crucial factor in accident survival rates, particularly if given in the first ten minutes after an accident has occurred. At its simplest, if a bystander can check and unblock the airway of an injured driver while waiting for the emergency services, this could save lives.

The Northern Ireland road safety strategy commits to considering a requirement for vehicles to carry a first aid kit and safety equipment such as hazard triangles and fire extinguishers. It also commits to investigating the recruitment of young people from high-risk communities across NI to be trained in first aid and to deliver road safety messages to other young people. We urge the Executive to implement these initiatives. In several European countries, holding a first aid certificate or having completed some form of first aid training is required before a driving licence is granted. We would encourage the Northern Ireland Executive to consider the introduction of a pre-driver qualification in safe road use, including what to do at the scene of an accident.


> a commitment from the Northern Ireland Executive to increase the levels of first aid skills in the community, including with children and young people and prioritising those who work with children under five years of age

> the introduction of first aid education as part of driver training and testing

> the Department of the Environment to include first aid education as a central part of road safety campaigns. Vulnerable groups such as schoolchildren, young people, pedestrians and motorcyclists should be a focus for particular attention. Specific focus on men aged 16 to 24 is essential, as they are by far the most affected group

> humanitarian education as part of a finalised cohesion, sharing and integration strategy for building humane and resilient communities in Northern Ireland

> the inclusion of humanitarian education within initial training for teachers and youth workers.


Supporting new arrivals to Northern Ireland

In recent years, the demographics of Northern Ireland have changed as we have been joined by new arrivals from Europe and beyond. These groups include a small number of people who come to Northern Ireland seeking protection from events in their home country. The Red Cross refugee service helps around 300 people each year, assisting new asylum seekers

and refugees in Belfast with a range of specialist services including an orientation service, destitution support, practical assistance for new mothers, and an international tracing and message service.

Refugees and asylum seekers face a number of unique challenges to life in Northern Ireland and are often living on


the edge of extreme poverty. People who have been refused asylum are not eligible to receive free healthcare, and may find themselves with no access to treatment while they appeal or while they are awaiting deportation. This means people’s needs are not being met and as a result they are suffering.

The people of Northern Ireland are generally welcoming and helpful to their new neighbours; however, in order for Northern Ireland and the UK to meet international obligations to protect those fleeing persecution and conflict, we believe there needs to be reform. We welcome the recent pilot of a destitution fund, led by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and the Community Foundation, and supported by the Red Cross. This initiative has helped many people facing desperate hardship. We would encourage future initiatives to demonstrate our humanity to these vulnerable groups.

We therefore call on the politicians in Northern Ireland to press their UK counterparts for an end-to-end asylum support structure, including permission to work, until the applicant is either removed or granted leave to remain. Destitution should not be an outcome of the asylum system.


> the provision of emergency support to vulnerable migrants who face absolute poverty (destitution)

> practical steps to ensure that an individual, regardless of the outcome of their asylum application, can access primary healthcare services for the duration of their time in Northern Ireland, as is the case in England, Scotland and Wales

> measures to ensure that ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) training be available for asylum seekers upon arrival to Northern Ireland, in line with current provision in Scotland and Wales

> pressing the UK Border Agency to collate and publish specific Northern Ireland asylum data, which is not currently available. This would greatly help with the planning of services and policy.

For further information please contact:

British Red Cross 12 Heron Road Sydenham Business Park Belfast BT3 9LE Tel: 028 9073 5350

Derry/Londonderry: 028 7186 5151

Omagh: 028 8225 1116

Find out about your local services and opportunities at redcross.org.uk

The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SC037738)

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 7877 7029

resilient northern ireland a call to action

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