Monthly Archives: February 2014

/Edwin Poots By Victoria O’Hara – 14 February 2014 Health Minister Edwin Poots has offered an apology to the families of patients whose delay in treatment may have played a part in their death. It comes as he confirmed his department would review “serious adverse incidents” in Northern Ireland’s hospitals before 2013. It emerged this week that a delay in treatment may have been a “significant factor” in the death of five patients at the Royal Victoria Hospital’s AE last year. Mr Poots, who announced the review into possible other cases during a Stormont health committee meeting on Wednesday, said the probe would go back over a “number of years”. Responding to questions over whether he owed the families an apology, he said: “We don’t want to cause anybody hurt. And I would be very happy to apologise to any family we have caused hurt to. Because that is not … Continue reading →

13 February 2014 Last updated at 09:40 ET   Roy Beggs said staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital had come under pressure over treatment targets Staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital have reported coming under pressure to “stop the clock” to avoid breaching AE targets, an MLA has said. Roy Beggs said he was told of the matter by the chief executive of the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA). The RQIA carried out a review of the Royal’s AE services. Mr Beggs said staff at the Royal are working under intense pressure and in extremely difficult circumstances. He said Health Minister Edwin Poots had admitted in a recent statement to the assembly about the Belfast hospital’s AE that “it appears that concern about the 12 and four-hour targets have led to some unacceptable behaviour by some staff”. “During the health committee, I questioned Dr David Stewart from the RQIA … Continue reading →

Ulster Unionist Party East Antrim MLA, Roy Beggs, has welcomed over 60 responses to his consultation on a Scrap Metal Dealers (NI) Bill. The consultation closed on Saturday, alongside news that a spate of metal occurred over the weekend involving power cables, telephone cables and even a gas leak caused by the theft of copper gas pipes. Mr Beggs said: “I’ve been extremely heartened by the volume of responses to my consultation on a Scrap Metal Dealers Bill for Northern Ireland, and I will be working hard to analyse the results over the coming weeks in order to bring swiftly about the introduction of a Bill to the Assembly floor, should the responses deem it necessary. “From a preliminary overview of the results, it does appear that there is an overwhelming public feeling toward the need for legislation, and this is also supported by the PSNI, Transport NI and NIE. … Continue reading →