Budget does very little for our health service

2.43.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 26th Oct 2007

Alliance Health spokesperson Kieran McCarthy MLA

Alliance Health spokesperson Kieran McCarthy MLA has hit out at the lack of assistance for the health service within the Executive budget which was announced yesterday. He stated that yesterday was not a good day for the health service and said that even Executive Health Minister Michael McGimpsey expressed grave concerns about the issue.

The Strangford MLA said: "Yesterday's budget was simply not good enough from a health perspective. The fact that even the Health Minister himself expressed grave concerns says it all.

"While I welcomed news that the Department is due to receive a bigger budget, the hike is simply not big enough. I am also unhappy that there were very few clear health action points outlined for this area.

"There was no mention of free personal care for the elderly, of tackling the MRSA virus, of increasing the number of acute and non-acute beds in our hospitals or of providing clinically effective drugs for early on set dementia.

"Yesterday was clearly not a good day from a health perspective. Only a small number of health matters like dealing with bowel cancer, stroke victims' support and mental health issues did well, the vast majority of the health sector will be disappointed.

"Our health system is under real pressure despite the goods efforts of staff. Yesterday's plans for our health service were light on substance and that is simply not acceptable."

ENDS