Jim Wells
South Down · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. In November 1982, I made my maiden speech in the Chamber, and, here we are, 40 years later, and I am making my last speech in the Chamber as a DUP MLA. I was the last person in the Public Gallery when the Assembly collapsed in 1976.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank you for your indulgence and for your patience with me over many years. Unfortunately, Mr McGlone has just left the Chamber; I was about to thank him. I have enjoyed my 27 and a half years in this Building.”
“I wish that I could, but I have only five minutes. <BR /> <BR />That was so that a very small number of Irish language zealots could go in and register their marriage or civil partnership in Irish or in dual language: £261,000. Did anybody stop to think about whether there was a more cost-effective way of doing that?”
“We are all perfectly happy with a genuine expression of people's culture. That is fine. However, when the language is so cynically used by militant republicanism, unionism has difficulties. Why, for instance, is there no translation into Irish of the words, "United Kingdom", "Londonderry", "Northern Ireland" or "Her Majesty The Queen"?”
“The Member has made the point for me. The official who came to the Committee made it absolutely clear that £261,000 had been spent already. It was farcical to bring that before either the Finance Committee or the Assembly, because the money had been spent and the processes had been set up.”
“If they want the unionist community to accept the Irish language as a genuine cultural expression, they should get rid of the political baggage and extremism, and stop using the Irish language as a political weapon to try to subjugate unionism.”
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“We are committed to supporting older people to be as independent as possible for as long as possible rather than spending long periods in hospital. If you talk to patients, they invariably say that they want to spend as much time as possible in their home surrounded by their family and community. <BR /> <BR />We now care for more older people at home through various measures. Specialist community teams look after patients with conditions such as like heart failure, diabetes, breathing problems and stroke. The teams are supported by technology such as telemedicine, which I mentioned earlier, and telecare. We have local one-stop assessment clinics for older people who need expert assessment but do not need to be admitted to hospital and a re-enablement service to support people to regain their independence after an illness or injury.”
“<BR /> <BR />The trust's vision for the care of older people and the modernisation of stroke services is that everyone has the right to equal care and that everyone, wherever they live and whatever their needs, will be treated in the right place by the most appropriate person in a timely and compassionate way. The proposals will provide the flexibility to ensure that inpatient services currently focused and provided at Loane House will be provided at Craigavon. Of that, I have been assured. Indeed, no one has contested the fact that there will be alternative provision in Craigavon. They may not agree with that, but they accept that it will happen. <BR /> <BR />It is not just a case of changing the location of services now that most people can and want to be looked after at home or in the community.”
“<BR /> <BR />A few years ago, the Southern Trust won the award for the best telemedicine service in the United Kingdom, beating off competition from over 100 trusts. The Southern Trust can be very proud of that. As Members will know, when statistical tables are produced on the effectiveness of health-care provision in Northern Ireland, the Southern Trust is invariably at or very close to the top. So, we have a well-performing trust, and that leads me to believe its assurances on the effectiveness of its decisions. I have heard the trust speak of its vision for improving services for vulnerable patients, and that is what this is about.”
“That brings me to the trust's proposals, the subject of the debate this evening. I have listened to Members' contributions and their understandable fear that the downturn in beds means a loss of service. In this case, nothing could be further from the truth. Within two weeks of my appointment, I went down to trust headquarters in Craigavon and met the senior team. I was extremely impressed by its dedication and perseverance in securing the best services that it can for the people whom it serves. I have known most of that team for the last five and a half years. I have met them on many occasions, and it is one of the strongest teams that we have in position in Northern Ireland.”
“The trust is doing well, and it is well led and focused on the task in hand, which is to deliver high-quality safe and effective care in the most efficient manner.”
“That challenge is exacerbated by the financial position of which everybody in the Chamber is well aware and which many have referred to. <BR /> <BR />However, despite the scale of the challenges, the trust has performed well. The Southern Trust’s acute hospital network has been recognised amongst the 40 top hospitals in the United Kingdom for 2013, and it is the third year in a row that that has occurred. That is an achievement that the team can be proud of. The top-40 awards are based on an evaluation of 22 indicators covering safety, clinical effectiveness, health outcomes, efficiency, patient experience and quality of care. So, the Southern Trust has a very good track record.”
“In 2013-14, there were 142,000 attendances at emergency departments, 101,000 hospital admissions and a staggering total of 234,000 outpatient attendances in the Southern Trust area. <BR /> <BR />What that all adds up to is this: there will be an increase in the number of people with long-term conditions and, therefore, an increasing demand and over-reliance on hospital services. The growing expectations of our population and fast-moving opportunities in technology and medical interventions also have to be considered. And, of course, there are challenges. The Southern Trust's annual budget of £435 million is not enough to meet the level of projected growth. The trust has faced considerable challenges, and it will continue to face those challenges in the years ahead.”
“That growth is projected to increase by a further 15·4% by 2023, versus an average for the rest of Northern Ireland of 7·2%. It includes the largest 0-17 years population group, which is expected to grow by almost 15% by 2023, compared with the Northern Ireland average growth of 6·5%; there has been a 21% increase in births since 2001, compared with a Northern Ireland average of 15%; and those aged over 65 will increase by 33%, with a 45% increase in the number of people with dementia. <BR /> <BR />As Members know, there is also a large ethnic minority population in the Southern Trust area, and 16·9% of births are to non-UK mothers compared with the Northern Ireland average of 12·6% for 2001-2010.”
“I thank the Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone for proposing the Adjournment debate. I have been impressed with the considered and valuable contributions made in the Chamber today. Six MLAs for the constituency have made a contribution. I hope to respond to as many of the points raised today as possible, but, if time does not allow, I am more than happy to write to individual Members if I have not covered the points that they raised. <BR /> <BR />First, I think that it is important to set in context what care the Southern Trust delivers on a day-to-day basis and the environment in which it operates. The Southern Trust area has a population of 358,600. That is the fastest growing population in Northern Ireland, with an 18% increase since 2000, compared with the Northern Ireland average of 7·4%.”
“I look forward to working with the Committee and others with an interest in the food hygiene rating scheme as they scrutinise the Bill. <BR /> <BR />Several Members raised concerns expressed by the FSB. It has an obvious platform as the Committee goes through its scrutiny to come forward and express those concerns. It has a legitimate right to do that on behalf of thousands of its members. I will watch with great interest to see what happens at Committee Stage. I will welcome the Bill coming back strengthened, improved and thoroughly scrutinised. I commend it to the Members and wish it a speedy passage.”
“There is no upgrading or strengthening of the law; we are simply expecting businesses to comply with the existing law and to tell their clients whether they are doing that. No great onerous burden is being placed in that sense. <BR /> <BR />The scheme presents a real opportunity for local businesses to demonstrate how seriously they take food hygiene by displaying their ratings for all to see. The consistency and transparency of the scheme makes it easy for consumers to use, and it should bring increased business to the food outlets that clearly take pride in their work. I believe that the Bill will have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the health of the people of Northern Ireland. I am delighted that we are seeking to move, as Wales has, to a mandatory scheme. I ask Members to support the Bill.”
“The other thing that encourages me is that, quite clearly, all the evidence from surveys shows that the public recognise and understand the process and have a large degree of confidence in it. Therefore, we are pushing an open door in educating our public as to the importance of the new scheme. I have not heard anyone today who has not been supportive of it. <BR /> <BR />I am confident that the rating Bill will provide a simple but effective public health measure that will make it easy for everyone to identify the businesses that are committed to complying with food hygiene requirements. I also believe that the Bill will provide a strong incentive for businesses to achieve and maintain compliance with existing food hygiene law. Members should recall that there is no change in the law in what is expected of businesses here.”
“I take the point that, at the moment, you see an awful lot of 4 and 5 ratings around the Province; you see very few 0, 1 and 2 ratings. I think that it is very obvious why that is. Indeed, I am told that some people who display a 0, 1 or 2 rating do not actually understand what the certificate is saying. <BR /> <BR />I would also add that, to be positive to the food industry, there is clearly an enormous benefit for an establishment to achieve a 5 rating. Mrs Cameron has quite rightly pointed out that she has withdrawn her considerable trade from an establishment based on the fact that she found out that it has only a 2 rating. Clearly, it is a severe blow to that outlet's future that it has lost the Cameron income. The industry need not fear the change of moving from voluntary to compulsory.”
“I think that there is very clear cross-party support for the basic ethos of this legislation. We are actually dealing with a very serious situation here; literally with life and death. In the average year, more than 20 people in Northern Ireland die as a result of consuming food in the Province. Therefore, we have to do all that we can to ensure that food establishments, takeaways, restaurants etc comply with the very highest possible standards of food hygiene and cleanliness. For me, that is a no-brainer. It is so obvious that we need to do that. <BR /> <BR />Clearly, many establishments out there have taken the voluntary approach and have already invited inspectors in. Most of them have achieved a high rating and have displayed that.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mrs Dobson raised the issue of when the Bill will be implemented if it is passed by the House. We are very conscious of the fact that local government in Northern Ireland is undergoing a huge overhaul at the moment. We are aware of that. The Food Standards Agency is very aware of it. It is anticipated that the Food Hygiene Rating Bill, if passed, would not be mandatory until at least early 2016. Therefore, those MLAs who are concerned about the new district councils can rest assured that they will be up and running well before that and will have the necessary experience and knowledge. We do of course realise that these councils will have larger budgets and larger numbers of environmental health officers. They should be in a better position to carry out this work. <BR /> <BR />I thank Members for their positive contributions.”
“Several Members behind me were also concerned about the burden that would be placed upon district councils. Remember, of course, that district councils already carry out this function. They regularly inspect premises' food-hygiene standards, sometimes on the back of a complaint and sometimes, sadly, as a result of an outbreak of something like salmonella or other food poisoning. This is simply an extension of something that councils' environmental health officers are extremely experienced in doing. Indeed, the voluntary scheme already encompasses a large number of food retail establishments, takeaways etc. Therefore, I do not see this imposing a considerable extra burden on councils; but, again, I will be very interested to hear the wise views of the Committee on that issue.”
“She, too, asked about the definition of what constitutes a body or business selling food. The Bill provides power to make regulations to set out what type of business would be exempt from the scheme. For example, at the moment, craft shops selling small quantities of low-risk food, such as tins of biscuits, may or may not come under the definition. Again, I would be very interested in the views of the Committee and the various bodies that represent those types of retail outlets. We are very open to positive suggestions one way or the other on whether that imposes too much of a burden on those shops or is required. I will very much be directed by the Committee's views on that. <BR /> <BR />Mrs Dobson also raised the issue of the impact on local government. Mr McCarthy raised it as well.”
“However, the Bill provides the flexibility to extend the definition to bring other businesses within its ambit. I was fascinated by Mrs Bradley's comment about sales of food over the Internet. I have to say that that has not occurred to me before. I can see all sorts of difficulties with including that in the definition of a food establishment, but I think that it is worth the Committee looking at that to see whether it can come up with something that can deal with it. I do not know the extent of food sales over the Internet; I presume it is quite unusual, but you never know. Perhaps that is something that we need to tighten up in the modern era. <BR /> <BR />Mrs Dobson raised a series of interesting points. I will seek to deal with those first of all.”
“That is one issue that I think that the Committee can look at very seriously. <BR /> <BR />The Chair raised the point that everything had to be "transparent, robust and timely", and I think that that is a very good line to use about this Bill. It has to measure the consumer's interests and balance them against the needs of the industry. I think that the Bill, as it stands, has achieved a very fair balance, but, again, I am very interested to hear Members' views. <BR /> <BR />I will deal with some specific points that were raised. Mr Fearghal McKinney asked what the definition of a food business is. That definition relates to an establishment selling food directly to consumers. It does not, at the moment, include business-to-business trade.”
“<BR /> <BR />Individual Members teased out various issues, and I am very open to hearing their views on them. One issue that the Chair raised was penalties. She was concerned that there may be those who would simply disobey the law, fail to display the sign and then accept the small penalty as the cost that they would pay for not displaying. I suppose that they would argue that they would make more money by not displaying their sticker than if they displayed it. Of course, as the Chair pointed out, there is the option of the district council taking the offender to court, but I would be interested to hear from Members about whether they feel the penalty scale is appropriate. I know that on the Sunbeds Bill Committee members voted to increase the penalties, and the Department quite readily accepted that.”
“I thank those Members who contributed to the debate. I believe that all of them are members of the Committee, and they will therefore have a large degree of input at Committee Stage. <BR /> <BR />As you know, Mr Deputy Speaker, I served on the Health Committee for five years, and I noted the way in which it interacted with the Department to improve all the legislation that was brought before it. I can think particularly of the legislation on sunbeds and on the Safeguarding Board. I think that everyone agrees that both those Bills went into Committee Stage quite strong and detailed but came out considerably improved as a result of the Committee's scrutiny. Therefore, I would like to think that the Committee would carry out its normal role when I refer this Bill to it.”
“<BR /> <BR />The increased transparency provided by the statutory scheme will also provide an effective and more sustainable alternative to formal enforcement action by district councils for securing and maintaining compliance and so provide a non-intervention approach. <BR /> <BR />I believe that this is a timely and important Bill which makes good sense for the consumer and the food business operator alike. It will allow consumers to make informed choices, but local food businesses also understand that a good food hygiene rating is good for customers and good for business. I want to see food hygiene standards throughout Northern Ireland improved and maintained, and I am convinced that the introduction of the Food Hygiene Rating Bill will make a positive difference to the health of people across Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is important to note that the Bill will not impose any significant burden on food businesses, as the main requirement for them arising from it will be to display a rating sticker that will be provided by the district council, free of charge, following a food hygiene inspection. Any improvements that businesses need to make to get the top rating are already required by law, so the scheme does not impose additional financial burdens on them. <BR /> <BR />In addition to the scheme incentivising food businesses to comply with food hygiene law, businesses that achieve a good rating will be subject to less-frequent inspections by district councils, thereby reducing the regulatory burden on compliant businesses.”
“Although they will be required to display their food hygiene rating, the Bill will provide a number of safeguards for businesses. There will be safeguards to provide food business operators with, for example, a right of appeal against their ratings where they believe the rating does not reflect the hygiene standards at the time of the inspection; a right to request to have their rating reassessed where they have made necessary improvements; and a right to reply to explain to consumers any mitigating circumstances, and that explanation will be published on the Food Standards Agency’s website.”
“Given the wide range of food business establishments in Northern Ireland to which the scheme applies, it is intended to prescribe in regulations where the sticker must be displayed at establishments. The format of the sticker will also be prescribed in regulations. <BR /> <BR />Importantly, the Bill will also require food business operators to inform a person verbally of their establishment’s food hygiene rating, if requested to do so. That will not only provide access to the rating for blind or partially sighted people but enable consumers to find out a business’s food hygiene rating when making a telephone order. <BR /> <BR />Whilst my main objective is to provide information on hygiene standards to consumers, I want the Bill to be fair to food businesses.”
“It will require councils, following inspection of food business establishments within their areas, to assess the food hygiene standards and produce a food hygiene rating, which will be scored against criteria set out by the Food Standards Agency. <BR /> <BR />Within 14 days of an inspection, councils must provide written notification of the inspection outcome, and the appropriate food hygiene rating sticker, to the food business operator. The food business will be required to display that sticker at its establishment, and the Food Standards Agency will be required to publish the rating on its website. The Bill will also require councils to enforce the requirements to display food hygiene rating stickers, and will provide them with the means to do so through the use of fixed penalty notices and, where appropriate, prosecution.”
“A full consideration of all the consultation responses resulted in a review and modification of some aspects of the policy proposals that were put forward in the consultation paper. That has helped to shape the Bill, which was endorsed by the Executive on 19 June and introduced to the Assembly by me on 3 November. <BR /> <BR />The Bill comprises 20 clauses and one schedule, and makes provision for the production of food hygiene ratings, the display of food hygiene ratings and the enforcement of the requirement to display ratings. It will apply the scheme to all food businesses that supply food directly to consumers, including restaurants, takeaways, mobile caterers, schools, hospitals, residential care homes, delicatessens and supermarkets.”
“A series of stakeholder events and one-to-one meetings were also organised to address and discuss the proposals outlined in the consultation paper. <BR /> <BR />The consultation attracted 29 responses from a wide range of stakeholders, including individual food businesses, food industry trade associations, enforcement representatives from councils and their representative bodies, the voluntary sector and, of course, the general public. Views were also sought from small food businesses and consumers through the Food Standards Agency’s independently conducted citizens forum research programme. <BR /> <BR />In general, responses to the consultation showed strong support for the mandatory display of food hygiene ratings at food premises to better inform consumer choice.”
“<BR /> <BR />People in Northern Ireland are becoming more aware of the voluntary scheme, with 83% of consumers recognising the stickers and certificates. They are also accustomed to seeing the rating stickers in the doorways of food establishments. However, once we introduce the mandatory scheme, the full range of food hygiene rating stickers will be more apparent, and people will be much more aware of them. <BR /> <BR />A 12-week formal consultation on the policy informing the Bill was carried out between February and April 2013. The consultation paper was widely circulated to interested parties, including the food industry, district councils, Departments, community and voluntary groups and consumer organisations.”
“The Food Standards Agency and councils are working to encourage businesses to display ratings, but it is reasonable to conclude that such activity is likely to have little impact on those businesses with a low rating. <BR /> <BR />As Members will appreciate, the voluntary nature of the scheme can make it difficult for consumers to find out the food hygiene rating of a food business. I want to change that, and the main purpose of the Bill is to place the food hygiene rating scheme on a statutory footing to ensure that food hygiene rating stickers are visible at all food outlets for everyone to see. The Bill will therefore make it mandatory for food businesses to display their food hygiene rating sticker, and, in doing so, will ensure that consumers have access to the information at the point of choice.”
“The overarching aim of the scheme is to reduce that burden. <BR /> <BR />Whilst the scheme has delivered positive outcomes to date, it operates on a voluntary basis in Northern Ireland, which means that food businesses are not obligated to display their rating sticker. Consumer research has shown that decisions about food are typically made quickly and without conscious thought, and the most effective way to influence consumers about whether or not to eat in a certain food outlet is for the information to be seen from outside so that a decision can be made before entering. Further research undertaken this year shows that only 40% of businesses in Northern Ireland are displaying stickers that are visible from outside. It is not surprising to learn that display is much lower amongst establishments with a rating of 0 to 2.”
“<BR /> <BR />The information is provided to consumers through a simple numerical scale operating from nought to five, where nought means that urgent improvement is necessary and five means a food business fully complies with legal requirements and has a very high standard. The rating is made available on the Food Standards Agency website — food.gov.uk/ratings — but businesses are also provided with a food hygiene rating sticker to place in the window or the door at their premises so that information is available to consumers before they enter the establishment. In Northern Ireland each year, there are approximately 48,300 cases of food-borne illness that result in 450 hospitalisations, 24 deaths and an equivalent total cost of £83 million to the Northern Ireland economy.”
“The food hygiene rating scheme was launched in Northern Ireland on 6 June 2011 and rates the food hygiene standards of 14,000 local businesses where people can eat or buy food. It is operated in Northern Ireland by district councils in partnership with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on a voluntary basis. It also operates in England on a voluntary basis but became a statutory scheme in Wales in November of last year. The aim of the scheme is to help people make informed choices around the purchase of food by providing information about food hygiene standards, found at the time of inspection by district council food safety officers, in the places where food is eaten or sold from a shop. This in turn will provide a strong incentive for businesses to achieve and maintain compliance with existing food hygiene law.”
“One of the issues on my agenda is to make absolutely certain that the arrangements in the Irish Republic are as strong as they are in the United Kingdom. We also have other step-up beds available, here and in the rest of the UK. The Minister for Health in England, Jeremy Hunt, has suggested that, if the worst comes to the worst, we would be talking about single figures for the whole country. Therefore, there is sufficient capacity in the United Kingdom to deal with a situation. We have had several months' warning and have taken all the necessary steps to make certain that, should things go wrong and people with Ebola come in, we are ready to act.”
“The isolation ward in the Royal has a capacity of one. However, we have a relationship with the Royal Free, so there is, in my opinion, sufficient capacity. We have had numerous discussions about checking the entry points for people from the three affected countries coming into Northern Ireland. There are no direct flights from West Africa to Northern Ireland. Therefore, the vast majority of people will come through London, Paris, Brussels or the Channel Tunnel. All those entry points now have scrutiny and testing arrangements in place. We believe that 97% of the people who could potentially come into Northern Ireland are covered by those arrangements. <BR /> <BR />On Wednesday, I will meet my counterpart in the Irish Republic, Leo Varadkar.”
“That hospital has huge international experience in dealing with these conditions. <BR /> <BR />The Chief Medical Officer has issued letters to all front-line staff who may be treating or admitting patients. All steps have been taken to ensure that we are ready. So far, what I am seeing indicates that those precautions are working and have been effective in this particular situation.”
“I have taken part in two COBRA conference calls with the Health Ministers for Wales, Scotland and England to try to make certain that the United Kingdom as a whole is completely prepared for any potential situation arising. We have arrangements in place to make a transfer from Northern Ireland to the Royal Free Hospital rapidly. An air ambulance service is available to make that transfer as soon as is required. Remember, the patient would remain in isolation if, per chance, Ebola were confirmed in the Royal. Therefore, there is no chance of the condition spreading. I am content that a very good system is in place to make certain that everybody is ready and prepared to take the patient to the expertise in the Royal Free, which has two beds immediately available and can expand that to 12, if need be.”
“I am content that everything that can be done in the Royal is being done. Remember, the individual has tested positive for malaria, a disease that can be quite readily treated in Northern Ireland. There is no confirmation of anything beyond that, as yet. Therefore, I am content that all the correct precautions are being undertaken.”
“I have to be slightly careful when I am replying to the honourable Member for North Down because patient confidentiality is absolutely essential in this instance and, indeed, in all instances. The equipment being used in the Royal is absolutely in line with that being used in the rest of the United Kingdom and is of the highest international standard. Isolation has occurred for the patient and is being carried out under the strictest possible controls.”
“<BR /> <BR />We know for certain that this person was in Sierra Leone, in the area affected by Ebola, so the correct procedures were invoked once self-referral took place. The public health agencies in the rest of the United Kingdom do not envisage spread within the United Kingdom from existing sufferers; it is far more likely to be brought to the shores of the British Isles from West Africa.”
“It is highly unlikely that anyone in Northern Ireland will contract Ebola unless they have been in one of three countries in West Africa — Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea — where Ebola is having a profound impact. Arrangements are in place at all the major entry points to the United Kingdom and Europe to screen for Ebola. <BR /> <BR />My only advice at this point is that, if anyone has returned from those countries and is showing any of the signs — one of which is sometimes an increased temperature — they should seek health advice immediately and self-refer. Prompt medical care is essential to improving the rate of survival. It is also important in controlling the spread of the disease, and infection control procedures need to be started immediately.”
“We had all the bodies, including the trusts, the Public Health Agency and colleagues from England, Wales, Scotland and the Irish Republic involved to make certain that we were fully prepared in the event of a suspected case of Ebola or, in the worst-case scenario, a confirmed case.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have an arrangement with the Royal Free Hospital in London, where any patient who is assessed as having Ebola will be flown. Arrangements have been established for that to be done rapidly. Therefore, the overall treatment of anyone who has Ebola will be carried out on the mainland and not in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Even in the worst-case scenario, the numbers in the United Kingdom would be expected to be in single figures. Therefore, whilst it is a matter of great concern to the public, we do not envisage this placing an inordinate burden on our health services or those in the rest of the UK. In Northern Ireland, every health and social care trust has plans in place that were tested in a regional exercise on 23 October.”
“I thank the honourable Member for her supplementary question. As she is aware, a patient was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital on Friday 7 November and tested positive for malaria. As the patient had been in Sierra Leone, samples were sent to Porton Down in Wiltshire and, I understand, to Dublin as a precaution. The results of the tests are imminent, but we do not have them as yet. We may have them before the end of this session. The results are expected to be negative, but we have to be absolutely certain. As soon as the results are available, everybody will be advised of them. <BR /> <BR />We have been here before: in Londonderry, a similar scare at Altnagelvin proved to be negative, and, in Donegal in the Irish Republic, a similar situation arose. This is third time this has happened on the island of Ireland.”
“That would be in tandem with sending samples to Porton Down, which, as the Member will know, is in Wiltshire. VHF testing will commence in Edinburgh on 1 December this year. The RVL is exploring the possible benefits for Northern Ireland in terms of contingency arrangements and reducing travel times.”
“In line with arrangements for the rest of the United Kingdom, viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) testing of samples taken from patients in Northern Ireland is carried out in Porton Down laboratories, following discussions with the imported fever service. The Regional Virus Laboratory (RVL) has transport arrangements in place to ensure that clinicians in the Royal Victoria Hospital receive VHF test results in the shortest possible time. <BR /> <BR />Where it has been agreed that a sample will be processed immediately on receipt, results will normally be available within seven to eight hours of the arrival of the sample in the laboratory. In addition, in anticipation of transport delays — for example, because of bad weather — the RVL has arrangements in place to have samples tested in Dublin.”
“<BR /> <BR />Illnesses such as pancreatic cancer wreak a devastating toll on patients and their families, but, through investing in research and raising public awareness, I hope that progress will be made to improve diagnosis and treatment for this horrendous disease. I congratulate the Member for West Tyrone Tom Buchanan on raising this very serious and important issue. I hope that the publicity attached to the debate will encourage people who have the symptoms to go to their GP and that we can encourage greater investment and research into this terrible condition.”
“Whilst acknowledging the particular difficulties associated with identifying the early symptoms of pancreatic cancer, which are non-specific and common to a range of illnesses, I look to researchers and clinicians to advise on how best to improve pancreatic cancer referral guidelines in ways that are practical and evidence-based. I fully support the efforts of GPs and other health professionals to boost early diagnosis rates, reduce misdiagnoses and ensure that pancreatic cancer survival rates are improved across Northern Ireland. Frankly, if we are somewhere in the league table just below Bulgaria, a lot certainly needs to be done.”
“The Northern Ireland Cancer Network provides a booklet of cancer services for patients, carers, families and friends that details local charities with support groups and services. As I mentioned, the PHA is developing a cancer awareness campaign that aims to alert the population to key signs and symptoms of cancer. It will also encourage people with symptoms suggestive of cancer to seek medical advice promptly. Further campaigns run by organisations such as Pancreatic Cancer UK are often UK-wide and targeted at specific cancer audiences. The population of Northern Ireland is also able to benefit from those. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the awareness month and hope that the resulting publicity will lead to more people seeking advice at an earlier stage of the disease.”
“<BR /> <BR />Several new pancreatic cancer trials are being set up, including funding support from Cancer Research UK. They involve potentially beneficial new drugs to be used alone or in combination with radiotherapy. <BR /> <BR />It is unfortunate that Oliver McMullan is not here, as I would have paid tribute to him for his very honest and personal account of his journey with cancer. He indicated the importance of support for patients and families. In Northern Ireland, pancreatic cancer patients and their families can access support in several ways, regardless of whether they find themselves in the early stages of the disease or at the latter end of their life. That support applies from diagnosis through treatment and aftercare.”