Tag Archives: DHSSPS

Beggs To Meet Trust Chief Executive over Residential Homes

UUP MLA Roy Beggs and a representation of Lisgarel residents will be meeting Sean Donaghy the Chief Executive of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust in Ballymena later in the week. The East Antrim MLA said: “Another 12 weeks ‘consultation’ process is being embarked upon. However, it seems to me that to all intents and purposes the decision to close has been made. In 2009 the then Minister of Health Michael McGimpsey refused to accept a similar proposal which came from the Northern Trust. This was after an unprecedented public reaction to a consultation at that time. This time however, the closures have emerged out of a complicated Report called ‘Transforming Your Care’ also known as the Compton Report. This was published in December 2011 and after a plethora of sub reports, the Minister made a statement to the Assembly last month stating that he was accepting the recommendations … Continue reading

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Roy Again Challenges DUP U turn on Closing Trust Residential Homes

Commenting on news that the Northern Health Trust are proposing to close all 9 of their remaining statutory residential homes, Ulster Unionist Health spokesman Roy Beggs MLA said: “I am shocked that Minister Poots’ ink is no sooner dry on his decision to close half of all the statutory homes across Northern Ireland, now the Northern Health and Social Care Trust are already proposing the closure of the remaining Trust Residential care places.” “I have been warning for some time that widespread closures would be part of the outworking of part of the Transforming Your Care proposals, endorsed in its entirety by the Minister for Health Edwin Poots. However, even in the worst case scenario I never envisaged the Trust proposing a total closure of all of their residential care homes by 2017. “I have also asked, but have yet to receive an answer, to a simple question: what has … Continue reading

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Need to Raise Awareness of Ovarian Cancer Highlighted

Speech on Ovarian Cancer 11/3/13 East Antrim MLA and UUP spokesman on health Roy Beggs Jnr has called on the Minister for Health to take forward an interactive awareness campaign on the issue of ovarian cancer. The Ulster Unionist MLA outlined the fact that ovarian cancer leads to 6•6% of all cancer deaths in Northern Ireland and that 500 lives could be saved in the United Kingdom European levels of diagnosis and treatment were matched. Speaking in support of an Assembly motion Mr Beggs said: “Ovarian cancer is one of the commonest forms of cancer affecting women in Northern Ireland. In 2011, it accounted for 2•6% of female cancer cases, and one in 87 women is affected by it. Each of us will probably know someone who will be affected by it in her lifetime, and we should all think carefully about that. However, it also accounts for 6•6% of … Continue reading

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Beggs calls on Health Minister to reaffirm commitment to plain packaging of tobacco products

The Ulster Unionist Party’s Health Spokesperson, Roy Beggs MLA, has called on Health Minister Edwin Poots to explain why his Party’s policy on plain packaging for tobacco products has changed. The East Antrim MLA made his comments after the DUP MPA, Ian Paisley Jnr, publically spoke out against the proposals. Roy Beggs said; “Last year the Ulster Unionist Party submitted a very favourable response to the consultation brought forward by the Department of Health in Westminster. This consultation exercise sought views on the proposal to require cigarette packs and other tobacco packaging to conform to a standardised format. If these proposals were to come into force then key branding features such as colours and font styles would be tightly regulated with a strict degree of conformity across brands.’ “In Northern Ireland approximately 1 in 4 people smoke, but consistent surveys and research reveals most people would like to stop were … Continue reading

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Ulster Unionists oppose potential permanent closure of City Hospital A&E

 Ulster Unionist Health spokesperson, Roy Beggs MLA has reiterated his Party’s opposition to the closure of the City Hospital’s A&E unit, following the Health Minister’s statement today (Tuesday) in which he stated the preferred option would see the permanent closure of the unit. Roy said: … “When the Minister first announced that he was temporarily closing the Accident and Emergency unit at Belfast City Hospital, the Ulster Unionist Party warned of the dire consequences this decision would have should he not give the surrounding hospitals the support they needed to deal with the influx of extra patients.” “Our concerns have been confirmed by the steep drop in the number of patients being seen within the four hour target at the Royal Victoria and Mater Hospitals over the last three months of 2012.  In December 2012 the percentage of patients waiting four hours or less sat at 65.7% in the Royal … Continue reading

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