Tag Archives: UUP

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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Roy Welcomes Completion of Rail Track Work

Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has welcomed the completion of the railway track upgrade on the Larne Line, and Translink’s intention to remove the speed restrictions associated with track conditions between Whitehead and Larne ‘in the very near future’. The East Antrim MLA said, “The new continuous welded rail will further improve the passenger experience, and together with the new trains will enable staff to provide a really high quality rail service. The reduced noise from the welded track will also result in less annoyance for those living close to the track. This will support even greater rail passenger growth.” The most recent project has seen 4.5 miles of track re-railed. Track was also remodelled in Larne Harbour and lowered in Larne Town to facilitate platform extension works. Roy Beggs MLA continued, “I have been informed that completion of additional civil engineering work will enable the removal of the temporary … Continue reading

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New Ward Opens at Antrim. New A&E in June

East Antrim MLA and Ulster Unionist spokesman on health Roy Beggs Jnr has welcomed the opening of a new 24 bed ward at Antrim Area hospital, and the imminent opening of a new Accident and Emergency unit at the crisis hit hospital. Mrs Beggs, in wake of continuing service failures and missed targets at Antrim A&E, placed an Assembly question to the Minister of Health, “Given that Antrim Area Hospital Accidents and Emergency Department was designed to deal with 30,000 patients per year but receives 72,000 patients per year, what additional resources have been made available to staff in the Accident and Emergency Department?” The Ministerial reply refers to the opening on 17th April of a new 24 bed ward and “a new £9M state of the art emergency has been constructed which will cater for up to 90,000 attendances a year. The new unit is expected to be operational … Continue reading

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Numbers Significantly up on East Antrim Railway line

East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has welcomed the significant increase in railway passenger numbers on the Larne Line, and suggested that Translink should move swiftly to increase the use of 6 car train sets on express services to accommodate more customers. Mr Beggs said: “After being starved of investment for years it is gratifying to note the change for the better for rail passengers under an Ulster Unionist Minister for Regional Development- Danny Kennedy. The new trains and facilities on the Larne line have led to a significant increase in passenger numbers using the railway line. Figures given to me as an answer to a question I placed in the Assembly show that the latest monthly passenger numbers for the Larne line have increased by nearly 21,000 compared to the equivalent time period just one year ago. I always said ‘provide the service and the passengers will return’, … Continue reading

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