Monthly Archives: December 2017

Spending on agency staff to plug gaps in Northern Ireland’s health service is set to reach £150m in 2018 By Adrian Rutherford December 27 2017 Spending on agency staff to plug gaps in Northern Ireland’s health service is set to reach £150m in 2018. The cost of temporary workers has doubled in the last three years. In the six months from April to September this year, the total expenditure was £73.4m – more than £400,000 a day. At the current rate, the bill for this financial year – running to the start of next April – will be almost £147m. That is double the spend for the 2014/15 year, when costs topped £76m. Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs described the spiralling costs as “staggering” and warned the health service was in “dire straits”. The Department of Health admitted the costs were unsustainable. Details of agency spending were released after a … Continue reading →

Warning: Richard Pengelly By David Young, PA and Eamon Sweeney December 22 2017 Next year will be one of the most challenging the health service in Northern Ireland has ever faced, staff have been warned. The squeeze on health spending is anticipated to be “greater than anything in recent memory”, the senior civil servant in charge of the Department of Health cautioned. The health service here receives around half of Stormont’s annual £10bn funding allocation. While potential budget scenarios for the next two years envisage a ring-fencing of that £5bn, inflationary pressures within the sector, currently running at around 5-6% a year, would still mean significant real-term cuts. The Department of Health said none of the spending scenarios outlined would free up enough money to enable it to maintain services at current levels. In a Christmas message to Health and Social Care (HSC) staff, Permanent Secretary Richard Pengelly, who is running … Continue reading →

A fire following an incident when a car hit the front of a house in Larne April 23 2017 Two men have been arrested after a stolen car was set on fire and driven into a house in Larne, Co Antrim. The pair, aged 34 and 24, are being questioned by detectives in connection with the incident, which happened in the Killyglen Road area of the town on Sunday afternoon. Neighbours of the family spoke of their shock at the incident. They described how they heard people shouting followed by a number of loud bangs when the silver Peugeot car went up in flames outside the house before 5pm. “It’s heartbreaking that this has happened,” one neighbour said. “It’s meant to be a quiet Sunday and there are plenty of kids playing in the area and then this happens. “I heard two loud bangs and went outside and saw the … Continue reading →

Image caption A car was burnt out during the attack in Brustin Brae Road Three children, aged 10, seven and three, were asleep in a house in County Antrim when shots were fired into their bedroom on Monday morning. The gun attack took place at a detached house in Brustin Brae Road, Larne. Shots were also fired into the hallway. No one was injured. A car was also set alight and destroyed in the attack. Police have linked the attack to an ongoing feud, and said there would be an increased PSNI presence in Larne. Image caption Aislinn Hassin said she was considering moving house The children’s mother, Aislinn Hassin, told the BBC she blamed paramilitaries who were trying to harm her ex-husband, whose mother owns the property. “It has to stop. They’ve taken a disliking to him. Somebody needs to help and sort this, and we’ve been to loads … Continue reading →

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 →