McGrath Slams Executive Winter Hospital Health Cover

Colin McGrath MLA says Executive dysfunction leaves hospitals facing very difficult winter

SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA has said Executive dysfunction will leave the North’s health service “facing a very difficult winter.”

He was speaking after Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announced proposed cuts as a result of the Executive’s budget allocation to his health department.

The South Down MLA aid: “The Assembly’s Health Committee was set to hear evidence from the health trusts today around winter preparedness – we expected a stark message given the many pressures facing our health service.

“Instead we will now be hearing about further cuts that are needed after the Health Minister rushed out a statement an hour beforehand about his budget situation.

“Blame for this situation lies with the entire Executive, this is typical of the dysfunction that delivers such poor governance for people here.

“Many of our Ministers seem immune to the notion of collective responsibility, on the rare occasion when things are going well they line up for photos and plaudits, but when things start falling apart it doesn’t take long for the finger pointing to begin.

“We all acknowledge the need for this place to be funded properly, but it’s time that our Executive starts taking responsibility for the decisions that it makes.

“Our health service actually spends more money per head than anywhere in Britain, but it’s how we use that money is important.

“The failure to implement the necessary transformation and other modernising measures, have left us facing this bleak financial picture. Simply blaming the UK Government doesn’t wash anymore.

“It will be our underpaid and hardworking health staff and patients who feel the brunt of these cuts this winter.

“What was already an incredibly difficult situation is set to get even worse.

“We can’t keep doing nothing and expecting our public services to improve.”

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