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Monthly Archives: December 2017
Turmoil in Northern Ireland’s political vacuum: Schools to close early, health crisis deepens and prosecutor throws …
The number of missed targets rose sharply on this time last year By Allan Preston December 1 2017 Soaring waiting lists have put patients in the midst of “an unprecedented crisis”, an MLA has warned. The latest quarterly figures from the Department of Health showed targets were missed in an enormous number of cases. At least half of patients should wait no longer than nine weeks for a first outpatient appointment. Northern Ireland political turmoil: Industrial action not behind school’s early closure, says union Northern Ireland political turmoil: Judge’s fury at dearth of resources for mentally ill Northern Ireland political turmoil: Amnesty for security forces legally questionable, says DPP More Northern Ireland schools set to shut early due to budget pressures However, this target was missed in 75% (203,478) of cases in September. While no patient is supposed to wait more than a year, this was not so in … Continue reading
NI Civil Service to ask Treasury for £20m from DUP-Tory deal – BBC …
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
Beggs commends the work of Trussell Trust foodbank volunteers
Roy Beggs MLA has commended the work of the Trussell Trust foodbank volunteers following a recent visit to one of their collection points in East Antrim. Roy Beggs said “Foodbanks have become an important safety net for individuals between jobs or awaiting benefits and demand has been increasing. I would thank Tesco Carrickfergus and the local foodbank volunteers for providing a food collection point at this important time where demand for assistance normally increases. I would urge shoppers to get into the Christmas spirit by donating something to others less fortunate than themselves.” The Trussell Trust advise that in particular if you can, please give tinned meat, tinned fish, tinned veg, tinned fruit, pasta sauces, instant coffee, milk (UHT or powdered), fruit juice (long life) tinned pudding, jam, instant mash potato and Christmas fare.
Sinn Fein putting politics before patients: UUP
The Ulster Unionist Party has lambasted Sinn Fein for putting “an Irish language act ahead of the safety of local patients” as waiting lists continue to spiral. The party’s health spokesperson, Roy Beggs MLA, made the comments following the publication of waiting times. The figures show that some 272,656 people are on the waiting list for a first hospital outpatient appointment with a consultant, a rise of 3.1% on the figures from just three months ago and a rise of over 12% on the equivalent figures from last year. Mr 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.” That view was echoed by the British Medical Association, Cancer Research UK and a host of others, who each warned of the need for a new strategy to deal with … Continue reading
