A Health Questiontime is being held in the St Patrick Centre On Thursday 24th November 2022
The Health Questiontime, organised by the Down Community Health Committee takes place on:
Thursday 24th November at 7.30pm
in the Saint Patrick Centre, Market Street, Downpatrick.
The panel of senior local politicians comprises Patrick Brown MLA of the Alliance Party, Councillor Alan Lewis of the DUP, Colin McGrath MLA of the SDLP and Cathy Mason MLA of Sinn Fein.
A spokesperson for the Down Community Health Committee said that “the event is an important opportunity for local people to come along to listen to the key players in the area, to question them and to make their own voices heard.
“The very future of the NHS as we know it, much beloved of a grateful population that has funded it, is now at stake.
“Services are severely restricted generally, but in rural areas in particular, as the Belfast Parish Pump politics distorts the distribution of healthcare provision across all six counties.
“The fact that health is a devolved matter and that there is collective responsibility around the Executive table, when the Executive is functioning, so politicians have a crucial role to play and, when necessary, must be held to account.
“Every politician loves the NHS, or so we hear. But how does that love manifest itself?
What about our local services at the Downe Hospital?
“What steps have the politicians been taking and have their parties taken, at the highest level, to demonstrate a commitment to that hospital?
“And what about mental health services? What about waiting lists? Are free prescriptions a luxury we can no longer afford? Are there opportunities for the delivery of a more economic, effective and efficient health service for us all?
“What about health service pays? What about consultants’ contracts? Has a two tier healthcare system already evolved? Should it have? What about care for the elderly?
“What is the future of urgent and emergency care provision for our community? What about general practitioner services?”.
