Minister must bring forward health budget that protects frontline services

Tuesday 23 February 2010

SDLP Health spokesperson Conall McDevitt MLA has said the Health Minister risks threatening frontline services and research into conditions like dementia if he does not bring forward a health budget to show how he is going to protect these services.

Speaking during an Assembly debate about the need for more research into dementia in Northern Ireland, the South Belfast MLA said:

"We are currently spending £50 million a year on dementia in this region, yet the number of people suffering from the disease will triple here in the next forty years bringing the total to around 50,000.

"Experts estimate we will need to be investing some £200 million in coming decades to ensure adequate support for dementia sufferers.

"There are all Ireland efficiencies to be achieved in acute and community services.

"The Minister's unwillingness to provide any information on how he proposes to defend frontline services and essential research will threaten patient care.

"He needs to bring forward now a new health budget which can give us all the assurance that the stealth cuts in frontlines services will stop and stop now."