Monthly Archives: March 2019

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is now offering a stress control programme in Newtownabbey. This is a six week, self-help course aimed at those experiencing mild to moderate anxiety or depression, anyone who is experiencing stress, knows someone who is, or just wants to be better equipped to deal with stress. The classes, which are free of charge and flexible, are open to anyone living in the Northern Trust area. Sessions are completely confidential with no sharing of personal difficulties in front of others and will be delivered by staff from the Trust’s Psychological Therapies Service. Classes will take place on Tuesday evenings, from 7.00pm until 8.30pm, from March 5 until April 9, at Monkstown Village Centre; on Wednesday evenings, from 7.00pm until 8.30pm from March 6 until April 10, at Glengormley Pavilion, and on Thursday evenings, from 7.00pm until 8.30pm, from March 7 until April 11, at … Continue reading →

The department in charge of the Northern Ireland health service has admitted it is “simply unable to keep pace” as hospital waiting times continue to grow. More than a third of outpatients are being forced to wait over a year to see a consultant,the latest figures published by the department of health at Stormont show. At December 31, there were 281,705 people waiting to see a consultant — 94,953 of whom had been waiting for an entire year. The British Medical Association (BMA), a professional body and trade union for doctors, say “we cannot continue like this”. The department has also admitted the extra cash secured by the DUP through its deal to prop upTheresa May’s government at Westminster has failed to halt the growth in waiting times. A spokesperson said: “As has been set out clearly in the past, not least in our Transformation Plan, our service is simply … Continue reading →

Two stars of Channel 4 TV show Derry Girls have demanded the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland as they delivered a 60,000-strong petition to Secretary of State Karen Bradley. Nicola Coughlan, who plays Clare Devlin, and Siobhan McSweeney, who plays Sister Michael, joined 26 other women in the march at Westminster on Tuesday afternoon. Derry Girls cast members Siobhan McSweeney (right) and Nicola Coughlan open suitcases outside the Treasury in Westminster to reveal the signatures on the petition demanding legislative change on Northern Ireland’s abortion laws. The 28 women, symbolising the number who travel from Northern Ireland to other parts of the UK each week for an abortion, all carried the names of 62,000 petition signatories in suitcases. The campaign, organised by Amnesty UK, calls on the UK Government to intervene and change the law in Northern Ireland in the absence of ministers at Stormont. An abortion is only … Continue reading →

Two stars of Channel 4 TV show Derry Girls have demanded the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland as they delivered a 60,000-strong petition to Secretary of State Karen Bradley. Nicola Coughlan, who plays Clare Devlin, and Siobhan McSweeney, who plays Sister Michael, joined 26 other women in the march at Westminster on Tuesday afternoon. Derry Girls cast members Siobhan McSweeney (right) and Nicola Coughlan open suitcases outside the Treasury in Westminster to reveal the signatures on the petition demanding legislative change on Northern Ireland’s abortion laws. The 28 women, symbolising the number who travel from Northern Ireland to other parts of the UK each week for an abortion, all carried the names of 62,000 petition signatories in suitcases. The campaign, organised by Amnesty UK, calls on the UK Government to intervene and change the law in Northern Ireland in the absence of ministers at Stormont. An abortion is only … Continue reading →

The Department of Health has revealed the most recent statistics on cancer waiting times in Northern Ireland, demonstrating that only 60% of patients received their first cancer treatment within the recommended time period. The figures have prompted political calls for an accelerated cancer strategy for the region. In December 2018, 319 patients commenced their first treatment following urgent referral. Of these, 60.5% (193 people) started treatment within the target time of 62 days, compared to 66.8% the previous year. Ulster Unionist Health Spokesperson Roy Beggs said the “steep deterioration” is outrageous, and demanded immediate action from the Secretary of State Karen Bradley. “Cancer treatment targets are set because there is very sound medical evidence that the longer a patient has to wait for diagnosis or treatment, the greater the risk that they may ultimately come to harm,” the east Antrim MLA commented. “Earlier this month the Department of Health announced … Continue reading →