South Down Sinn Fein MLA Chris Hazzard has criticised South Eastern Trust plans to close laundry services in Downpatrick and has called upon the Health Minister to urgently review this policy of ‘centralising privatisation’ that is ripping the heart out of Health services at the Downe.
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South Down MLA Chris Hazzard has challenged the threatened cuts to the Downe laundry services..[/caption]
Mr Hazzard said: “I was contacted by several members of staff who feel that this decision is the disastrous yet inevitable consequence of stripping the service down with more and more work being centralised to the Ulster Hospital site in Belfast since 2007.
“Moreover, it is deeply worrying that once again we see a vital local service being downsized and sold-off to the private sector. The increasing privatisation of our health service not only places local services at risk, but also local employment.
“I have now written to the Health Minister Edwin Poots so that the people of Down can have their voices heard – we don’t want our local health services cut to pieces and sold-off to the highest bidder. We deserve better. We deserve local services delivered in the interests of the local community.”
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