Working With Patients in Northern Ireland
Mr Paul Archer
Paul has had a long standing career in the agri-food sector
and is married to a Chartered Physiotherapist. He has a long
standing interest in health care provision in Northern Ireland and
was appointed a Community and User representative on the North Down
Health and Social Care Group in July 2002. In addition, Paul is a
lay partner on the Health Professions Council and represents the
interest of patients and the public on this statutory regulation
authority. Paul identifies the main issues facing primary care
today as, population is living longer, advances in the management
of chronic diseases, increasing financial pressure on health and
social care services and increasing public expectation of the
services. He feels that one of the greatest challenges for lay
representatives is to ensure the representation of a balanced
patient opinion from a sufficiently widespread constituency.