Alliance MLA Shocked To Learn 85% of Carers Denied Respite
Alliance MLA Nick Mathison has expressed shock at the Health Minister’s recent response revealing that only 13 out of 85 people entitled to residential short breaks in the South Eastern HSC Trust are actually receiving it.
Nick Mathison had submitted a question to the Minister asking for details on the number of people assessed as requiring residential short breaks and how many were actually accessing it.
This followed a BBC Spotlight Documentary and the Minister’s announcement of a £13 million investment into short break services in October last year.
The Strangford Alliance MLA said: “The fact that 85% of those entitled to short-term respite are not receiving it is absolutely unacceptable.
“Many families face immense challenges in caring for children and young people with learning disabilities, and they deserve proper support from our health system.
“I have spoken to numerous families who deal with these difficulties every day, and the stress they endure is unimaginable. Short-term respite could significantly ease this pressure for parents and carers, and for the children and young people themselves.”
He added: “The Minister announced a £13 million investment at the end of last year, but where has that money gone? There has been no noticeable improvement in services.
“In response to a question I asked in January about what specific interventions would be delivered through this funding, the Minister stated that the Trust aims to increase short break provision and enhance family support services.
“However, we need clarity on exactly how this money is being used and when families can expect real change. I have asked the Minister to confirm when this investment will result in additional respite provision.”
Mathison also raised his concerns about families still waiting for support saying: “This 85% figure only reflects those who have been assessed, but many young people are still waiting to be allocated a social worker.
“I have submitted a further question to the Minister to determine how many young people remain on this waiting list.”
“This is a critical issue for families and young people in the South Eastern HSC Trust which covers my constituency.
“I will continue to press the Minister on the urgency of delivering this investment and ensuring these families receive the support they so desperately need.”
***
Chambers Rejects Alliance Analysis Of Health Figures At A Health Committee Meeting
Meanwhile, following the challenges from Alliance Party generally to the Health Minister, UUP North Down MLA Alan Chambers lashed back at Aliiance challenging them for “showing scant regard for the sheer pressures facing patients and health workers.”
He was commenting after a Health Committee session in which an Alliance Party MLA became “confused” about the level of funding that had been available for allocation at an earlier January Monitoring round and then was also “factually incorrect” by implying that the health service had received a proportionately good outcome.”
Alan Chambers argued: “At this week’s meeting of the Health Committee, Alliance Party North Belfast MLA Nuala McCallister rather bizarrely tried to claim that an allocation of £7m out of supposedly £10m went far in terms of an Executive prioritisation of Health.
“Unfortunately, however, her figures were simply incorrect as the Minister of Finance had already previously informed the Assembly that almost £17m was being reallocated but that she had already unilaterally decided to allocate much of it to the Departments for Infrastructure, Justice and Economy even though a simple breakdown of how the Executive overall spends its money, health receiving £7m out of £17m…
“Despite the Minister of Health repeatedly reminding Executive Parties that they had earlier committed to support him to deliver the pay award for 2024/25, as well as to prioritise resources on tackling our wholly unacceptable waiting times, once again the January Monitoring Round was an illustration of Parties saying one thing but doing something completely different.
“Barely a week goes by without an Alliance Party MLA or Councillor writing to the Minister urging him to roll out a new service or invest extra resources in one area or another.”
