The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's cross-community party

 David Ford

Health departments shake-up should have been left to Assembly

10.32.42am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 2nd Apr 2007

Portrait-yellow: MCCARTHY Kieran (photography: Allan Leonard)

Alliance Party Health Spokesperson Kieran McCarthy

Alliance Party Health Spokesperson Kieran McCarthy MLA has stated that decisions regarding the number of health departments locally should have been left to the Assembly. He stated that given the significance of the decision, it should have been made locally. The number of Health Trusts in Northern Ireland has today been reduced to 5 from 18.

Kieran McCarthy MLA said: "This decision should have been left to the Assembly. On issues of massive local importance like health, local representatives are far better placed to make the right decisions.

"We must deliver the best healthcare possible. When it comes to the health of local people, there can be no corners cut. Cost cutting measures must never be allowed to take precedence over quality of service.

"The Assembly should have been allowed to deal with this issue, because we must be given the chance to have a coherent and strategic approach to addressing key health issues like reducing hospital waiting times."

ENDS

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