Tag Archives: Health

Beggs Supports MS Society Treat Me Right Campaign

Roy Beggs MLA has pledged to help ensure that all people living with MS in Northern Ireland have better access to MS treatments and services, regardless of where they live. This comes as the MS Society revealed that people with MS often face significant barriers in accessing licensed treatments, the information to decide what is right for them and the specialists who can help. See picture – Ulster Unionist Party MLA for East Antrim, Roy Beggs Jr, who sits on the Health Committee at Stormont, has backed the “Treat Me Right” MS Society campaign and recently met with Larne Branch member Tom Hunter at the Northern Ireland Assembly, Stormont. On Tuesday 29 April the MS Society launched its new campaign Treat Me Right, during its MS Week event at the NI Assembly. The charity’s campaign calls on decision-makers and the MS community to tackle the barriers which stand in the … Continue reading

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It is only the dedication of our hospital staff preventing our health system imploding – Beggs

Ulster Unionist Health Spokesperson Roy Beggs has reacted with shock to the news that the Northern Trust has identified 20 separate incidents in which the response was below standard and that 11 possible avoidable deaths have now been identified. Roy Beggs MLA said; “The most important thing to remember is that at the heart of this announcement there are 11 families who have lost a loved one, 5 of which were tragically only babies. “Our hospitals help people in their most vulnerable condition so it is hugely important that that they remain safe. Unfortunately that can no longer be taken for granted with revelations of growing waiting times and numbers of ‘serious adverse incidents’ spiralling out of control.  It’s clear to me that it is only the sheer professionalism and dedication of our health service staff that is preventing our health system imploding in on itself. “Last month I learned … Continue reading

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Beggs says latest funding not enough to address Health Service budget crisis

Ulster Unionist health spokesperson Roy Beggs MLA has stated that the additional funding announced today for the Health Service is far short of what is required to address the shortfall in the Health Budget, and that the fact that an additional £250 million has made available to the Health Service Budget since May 2011 vindicated the stance taken by Michael McGimpsey when Minister of Health. Mr Beggs said: “The £30 million announced by the Finance Minister is only a step towards what is actually required to fill the black hole in the current Health Budget which the Ulster Unionist Party warned was inevitable given the budget settlement in 2011. The Finance Minister has now been forced to make yet another top-up of £30m to alleviate current pressures. This is despite Health officials telling the Health Committee only weeks ago that there were £43m of inescapable pressures which included quality and … Continue reading

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Beggs Challenges Poots on Respite Cuts

Local Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs MLA has challenged the Minister for Health Edwin Poots about cutbacks to respite care in the health service. During Question time at Stormont Mr Beggs asked the Minister: “Does the Minister accept that, when health service staffs are advising vulnerable families that their respite care is being cut in half, cuts are clearly being made? They are short-term cuts that will endanger the health and well-being and even the stability of some families who are caring 24/7.” Minister Poots in reply said “it is clearly the case that we are providing more domiciliary care and more support to people than before.” Speaking later Roy Beggs commented: “The Minister seems to be living in denial about the reality of cuts to frontline health services. I have contacted the Northern Health and Social Care Trust regarding a local family where respite support has been severely cut. … Continue reading

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Beggs helps NHS celebrate 65th Birthday

Speaking on the 65th Birthday of the NHS, Ulster Unionist Party Health Spokesperson, Roy Beggs MLA paid tribute to the continuing success of the NHS in providing free healthcare to everyone in the United Kingdom. Speaking at an event at Stormont to celebrate the Birthday, Roy said; “I was reminded again today of how proud we should be of the NHS. It is fitting that the community takes time to fully appreciate the free health service that the 1.3 million people employed by the NHS provide to them around the clock, every day of the year. “The provision of free healthcare is not something that we should take for granted. Indeed, for citizens as close to us as in the Republic of Ireland, free healthcare is only available to a very few individuals, who for example earn less than £155 per week. “A visit to a GP in the Republic … Continue reading

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