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Monthly Archives: November 2017
Never before has our health service faced such an unprecedented waiting times crisis – Beggs
Ulster Unionist Health Spokesperson Roy Beggs MLA has warned that never before has Northern Ireland faced such an unprecedented waiting times crisis. He was commenting after it was confirmed that as of September 2017 there were over 272,000 patients across Northern Ireland waiting for a first appointment with a medical consultant, with 73,000 of those waiting over 12 months. Roy Beggs said: “Northern Ireland’s Health Service is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis Never before have so many people been waiting so long for either a diagnosis or treatment. “The brutal reality is that some of these people have been waiting for so long that they now have a reduced likelihood of a successful outcome. Health workers that I talk to have come to the tragic conclusion in recent months that people are coming to serious harm, and sometimes worse, as a result of these delays. “The system is … Continue reading
Questions asked as first £20m of DUP deal cash released
Critical: Roy Beggs By Suzanne Breen November 29 2017 Politicians have welcomed plans to release the first £20m funding for health and education from the DUP’s £1bn ‘confidence and supply’ deal with the Tories. However, questions were raised about how the money would be spent and what plans existed for the remaining cash. Some £15m of the money released will go to health and £5m to education. The Department of Health says the figure includes money for a 1% pay rise, but this can’t be delivered immediately because there is no minister in place. The £20m is included in a total of almost £115m that the Department of Finance is reallocating to help meet funding pressures at Stormont. Health is the biggest winner with £54m, while £26m is being made available for education and another £26m for roads and infrastructure. Welcoming the additional funding, Sinn Fein MLA Mairtin O Muilleoir … Continue reading
NI Civil Service to ask Treasury for £20m from DUP-Tory deal
Image copyright Reuters Image caption The DUP-Tory pact was signed in June The Northern Ireland Civil Service plans to ask the Treasury for £20m from the DUP’s confidence-and-supply deal with the Conservative Party for use within the next four months. The prime minister made a deal with the DUP after losing her majority in the general election in June. A memo from the Department of Finance obtained by the BBC outlined the plans. It stated that £15m of the money will be used to ease pressures in the health service. The other £5m will be given to education in this financial year. All you need to know on NI’s political crisis What would direct rule mean for NI? Sticking points in power-sharing talks Tory-DUP deal: What you need to know Earlier this month, Secretary of State James Brokenshire told MPs the government would make available £50m of the confidence deal … Continue reading
Explanation required over extra money for Health – Roy Beggs
Ulster Unionist Health spokesperson, Roy Beggs MLA has called on Health Department Permanent Secretary, Richard Pengelly, to provide an explanation as to why only £15 million of extra funds for the health service is being drawn down. Roy Beggs MLA said: “The decision to only draw down £20million (£15m for Health and £5m for Education) of an available £50million to help deal with immediate pressures in health and education is one that will require further explanation. “The de-facto Health Minister, Permanent Secretary Richard Pengelly, needs to outline why, given the length of waiting lists and demand on the health service, only £15million will be accessed in this financial year and what the plans are for the remaining money. Is it a case that this is still an administration that can’t spend the money it’s given? “Our health service needs certainty and that will not come without a Minister at the … Continue reading
Inspiring young people in Carrickfergus
The Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) Carrickfergus Locality Planning Group recently launched a local social media Facebook page ‘Carrickfergus Community Education Forum’ to provide a space for agencies to share information about education support services, helpful resources and training opportunities for young people and their parents. Locality Planning Group member organisations including Carrickfergus YMCA, Northern Regional College, Sure Start, Primary and Post Primary Schools, Education Welfare Services and community representatives identified through a local needs assessment that mechanism for reaching parents in relation to support their children’s education could be coordinated and done better together. MLA Roy Beggs, Chairperson of the CYPSP Carrickfergus Locality Planning Group supported the development of the support platform for parents. Speaking from the launch Roy Beggs said “School, parents and the local community all working together can reduce Educational under attainment and open up greater life-time opportunities. I am aware that there has … Continue reading
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