Philip McGuigan
North Antrim · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I concur with the Minister that patient safety is ultimately the top priority, but patient safety is also important, as the Member said, in terms of assessments. If you cannot get assessments, your safety is compromised.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Further to my party colleague's point of order about the DUP's internal investigation, what is the point of doing an investigation if you are telling us that you have nothing to answer for? You were the leader of the DUP at a time when accusations were levelled against Jeffrey Donaldson.”
“Minister, in your previous answers you talked about the pressures and the difficulties. You said that you were looking for a fair funding model, and you spoke of the need for taxpayers here to be treated equitably.”
“Minister, the inquiry found systematic abuse, neglect and serious governance failure at Muckamore Abbey Hospital over many years — failures that were not isolated incidents but reflected systematic issues across leadership, staffing, safeguarding and oversight that resulted in decades of physical and psychological abuse.”
“When I engage with health service sectors as my party's health spokesperson, there is not one that does not talk about workforce pressures and problems with staff recruitment and retention. That is clearly the case with doctors.”
“First Minister, you have spoken previously about the opportunities created as a result of our unique economic and trading position and about the increased potential that comes with all-island cooperation.”
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“When you see first-hand the thought, compassion and determination of Corrina and Johnny, their wider family and the local community that has gone into Noah's Story, you understand that it is more than just a charity. It is a legacy of love and of the determination that, despite their own tragic loss, something deeply meaningful can be built for others. Saturday's fundraiser at Dunloy GAA grounds, which I attended, was a testament to how the local and wider North Antrim community has been touched by Noah's Story and the work of Johnny and Corrina.”
“Out of that commitment came Noah's Story, a charity dedicated to improving how our health system here cares for families who experience sudden bereavement by creating and maintaining dedicated bereavement spaces in hospitals across the North. Those "Infinity Rooms" are named as such because of Noah's love of the 'Toy Story' movie. The first Infinity Room was opened just a few months ago in November 2025 in the Causeway Hospital. Speaking back in November, Noah's mother Corrina said:”
“On Saturday, I had the privilege of attending a hugely successful fundraiser in Dunloy in support of Noah's Story, a charity founded in memory of two-year-old Noah McAleese. Noah was a beautiful little boy whose life was tragically cut short in November 2022. Since then, Noah's family have shown extraordinary courage in transforming their grief into a mission that now supports other families across the North facing similar circumstances and heartbreak. Leaning on their own experience, Noah's parents, Corrina and Johnny, made a commitment that no family should face the worst moments of their lives without dignity, privacy and compassionate care and support.”
“We should all get behind and support that aim. The service must be one that ensures that patients receive the right care at the right time, in the right place and as close to home as possible. It must include meaningful support for families and carers, whose role is vital.”
“Unfortunately, through constraints on budgetary resources, they are not all implemented. That is certainly the case with the mental health strategy, on which progress has been slow. By the end of 2024-25, only £12·3 million had been allocated, and only 14 actions — just 16% of the strategy — had been funded as required for that period. <BR /> <BR />Underinvestment combined with persistent workforce shortages has resulted in delayed diagnosis, limited treatment pathways and, in some cases, people having to travel significant distances to access specialist care that should be available closer to home. Today's motion calls on the Minister of Health:”
“I am struck by what Colin said about the issue not being part of schoolchildren's education. There are so many pitfalls out there for our young people, and it is important that such things are conveyed in the school setting. <BR /> <BR />The Department sets out a clear and ambitious plan to strengthen eating disorder provision in its mental health strategy. Action 29(d) commits to timely specialist treatment for all patients, appropriately skilled staffing, the development of talking therapy hubs, intensive day treatment facilities in line with NICE guidance and improved clinical support for inpatient units and high-risk cases. What I will say about progress on the strategy could apply to any of our strategies. We have so many good strategies in the Department of Health.”
“<BR /> <BR />Beat has highlighted the fact that eating disorders are profoundly isolating conditions that often lead individuals to withdraw from social situations, making it difficult for them to articulate what they are experiencing and equally difficult for others to recognise the severity of their illness. That is why, as others have said, awareness weeks and debates such as this are important. It is about people in positions such as ours shining a light on the issue and taking the argument out into the public. I commend Beat for providing a voice and a vital source of support, through its advocacy and policy work, and acknowledge all who have spoken publicly about their personal experiences in an effort to raise awareness, inform the development of future services and highlight the need for education.”
“<BR /> <BR />The personal testimonies that we heard in the debate along with those that we have read in newspapers and heard on the airwaves this week, combined with the scale of the need for services and the concerning rise in eating disorders among adolescents, as identified in the motion, and the evidence presented by the charity Beat — I think that all Members have been using a briefing that we got from Beat, because it clearly condenses what we are talking about — serve to underline the urgent need to progress the enhancement of the regional eating disorder service.”
“I also read the contribution by Oran, a talented Gaelic footballer from Steelstown who played for Derry, in last week's 'Irish News'. They are both talented young people who opened up about their personal battles. Thankfully, both young people have recovered from their eating disorders, because, as others have clearly and correctly pointed out, not everybody who suffers from an eating disorder is lucky enough to recover. <BR /> <BR />As Danny said, this illness can affect anyone. Whilst it may be the case that young females are particularly affected, it is not an illness that occurs among just young females; it can happen to anybody, regardless of their circumstances.”
“I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I thank the Members who tabled the motion, and for the work that Peter and others do in the APG. <BR /> <BR />Eating Disorders Awareness Week has just concluded, and it has brought to light powerful lived experiences, testimonies and accounts. Some accounts have been shared during the debate, and while we can often talk about the abstract of illness, the lived experiences and testimonies put a focus on the seriousness of the illness and its impact on those who suffer with it. <BR /> <BR />In advance of the debate, I flicked through some accounts of the illness. I read the story of Anna-Louise, a talented young videographer, which was in last Friday's 'Belfast Telegraph'.”
“I recently met the Lobular Moonshot Project, which is campaigning to raise awareness and research into lobular breast cancer. Are contacts and discussions with Wes Streeting across the water on implementing funding and research here for that particular type of breast cancer on the Minister's radar?”
“Deputy First Minister, you have mentioned a number of measures and the work by your officials in the Executive Office and the delivery unit. Subsequent to that, what specific actions has the delivery unit taken to reduce waiting lists?”
“Without a comprehensive, long-term workforce strategy that aligns training capacity with projected service needs and addresses recruitment and retention challenges, those systemic pressures will persist. There needs to be a whole-system approach.”
“Also, I would like the Minister to clarify whether the flexibility provided in the Bill, specifically the power to respond to future changes in recruitment training and workforce needs, applies to each of the devolved Administrations individually, based on their unique circumstances, or whether any such changes must be initiated and led by Westminster. <BR /> <BR />It is important to state that, while the Bill may go some way towards addressing concerns that are raised by organisations such as the BMA about the earliest stages of the training pipeline, it does not provide additional opportunities for doctors approaching the end of their training. In several key specialities, such as paediatrics, the number of consultant posts continues to fall short of what is needed, despite growing waiting lists.”
“<BR /> <BR />While I recognise that the policy intention of the Bill is to ensure that funded training places are allocated to those most likely to continue working in the health service, and I acknowledge the operational challenges that could arise from any deviation from that model, I ask the Minister to confirm whether a full screening has been undertaken in accordance with statutory requirements and whether he is satisfied that the assessment identifies no adverse or differential impacts across the section 75 groups.”
“I ask the Minister to provide, in his closing remarks, further information specific to the potential impact on the North. In particular, it would be helpful to understand how the proposed changes are expected to affect workforce pressures in the immediate and long term, given our current reliance on international doctors — the Minister referred to some of that in his opening remarks — and the demographic profile of the workforce in the North, as well as training capacity and the particular recruitment challenges faced here.”
“The Committee therefore urges the Minister to ensure that, in future, the Assembly and Committee are afforded their full and proper place in the process. <BR /> <BR />I want to make some remarks in my role as Sinn Féin's health spokesperson. Again, I emphasise that the time frame to scrutinise the LCM was short and offered limited opportunity for ourselves and others to have stakeholder engagement and properly assess the impact that the Bill could have in the North. It is important to put on the record that it is always preferable that we bring forward our own legislation. That is the best way to ensure proper scrutiny. <BR /> <BR />The departmental briefing last Thursday made clear to the Committee that evidence for the Bill was based largely on combined figures for England, Scotland, Wales and the North.”
“<BR /> <BR />I remind everyone that the Health Committee did not take a formal position on the merits of the LCM. The time frame simply did not allow for the examination that members wanted to undertake. The result is that the Assembly is being asked to take a position without the benefit of a Committee report — a situation that we should try to avoid in future. Such a situation should not occur. Legislative consent is not a box-ticking exercise. It is an important mechanism that protects the role of the Assembly in shaping legislation. <BR /> <BR />I will finish my Committee remarks by emphasising the importance of early engagement with Statutory Committees, particularly when legislative consent is required. When time frames are not honoured, the quality of scrutiny suffers.”
“Rather, it seeks to stabilise the system so that local graduates are not frozen out of training, and international doctors will continue to play a vital role in our health service. The Committee wanted to understand the impact on recruitment to some of the more-difficult-to-fill specialty training places. The Department's view was that the policy may actually help to fill harder-to-recruit specialties, such as general practice and psychiatry, by making it more attractive for internationally trained doctors who are seeking the experience needed to enter the future priority pool. <BR /> <BR />The Committee noted that all Administrations had committed to closely monitor the impact of the changes, recognising that it would take several years for the full effects of the policy to become clear.”
“The Committee asked what engagement the Department had undertaken with stakeholders here and noted that engagement was limited as a result of a push by the British Government to expedite progress on the Bill. <BR /> <BR />The Committee wanted to understand how the Bill would address the specific workforce challenges in the North. Officials confirmed that workforce needs here were considered in shaping the Bill. Those included ensuring continued cross-border movement, specifically securing the inclusion of graduates from the South in the priority pool thereby reflecting our unique labour market. <BR /> <BR />Concerns were raised about the impact on our reliance on internationally trained doctors. Officials stressed that the Bill does not cut off international recruitment.”
“Ensuring appropriate access to training places is vital for workforce planning, patient care and the stability of health systems across these islands. Those are matters that the Committee takes seriously. <BR /> <BR />The Committee received a briefing from departmental officials on the LCM last Thursday, and I will bring to the attention of the Chamber a number of issues that were raised during our discussions. The Committee questioned officials on whether the Bill would impact on quality standards. Officials explained that quality standards would remain unchanged, advising that the best candidates would still be appointed, but from a reordered pool.”
“The Committee welcomed the Minister's written apology for the reduced scrutiny time, and we welcome the apology today in the Chamber. However, the apologies do not resolve the underlying concern that proper legislative scrutiny, which is a core function of the Assembly, was not enabled in this instance. We hope that that will not be repeated. <BR /> <BR />Setting aside the difficulties that the Committee faced in respect of the process, I wish to put on record that the Committee recognises the importance of the Bill. The proposals aim to create a clear framework for the prioritisation of applicants to foundation and speciality medical places, ensuring that there is a clear employment pathway for British and Irish medical graduates.”
“I am disappointed to advise the House that I cannot provide a Health Committee position on the motion regarding the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill. As today's debate is taking place just eight working days after the LCM was laid by the Department, there has been limited opportunity for the Health Committee to give proper consideration to the matter. I am sure that Members will agree that the timescales set out under Standing Orders for Committee scrutiny of LCMs are already challenging and that any reduction in that time makes proper scrutiny impossible. It is important to highlight that the Committee's disappointment was compounded by the fact that other devolved legislatures received LCM papers much earlier than we did, enabling their Committees to scrutinise the proposals and report in advance of debates on legislative consent.”
“We should build on those successes and others through initiatives such as an all-island paediatric pathology service, shared specialist treatment pathways and greater cooperation in research, infrastructure and data sharing. Collaboration will reduce duplication, improve expertise and deliver better outcomes for patients across the island. All of that requires prioritisation, transformation, political stability and, in my opinion, an agreed multi-year Budget.”
“Last week, the Committee was told that, I think, £24 million will need to be spent over the next five years on maintenance alone for Holywell, but we have the potential to build a new, modern facility for those who work in it and the patients who require it. Fit-for-purpose infrastructure is not a luxury; it is fundamental to safe and efficient care. <BR /> <BR />Finally, we must look outward, beyond the Six Counties, to the enormous potential for all-island cooperation in order to deliver better outcomes and better value for money. We have already seen the success of cross-border working in the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin and the children's cardiac surgery unit in Dublin.”
“Thirdly, I want to see prioritisation within primary care. GP negotiations are ongoing, and there is a clear case for stabilising and strengthening general practice. If we want to reduce pressure on emergency departments and hospital waiting lists, we must invest in primary and community care. Similarly, I want to see core funding issues in community pharmacy dealt with and its needs met. <BR /> <BR />Fourthly, as per my remarks on behalf of the Committee, there is a need for capital investment and spend. Priorities such as the potential Birch Hill mental health facility in my consistency and the maintenance requirements at Holywell demonstrate precisely what "invest to save" means in practice. Delayed maintenance costs more in the long term, financially and clinically.”
“Our waiting lists here are too long, but some good work has happened. An additional 200,000 people have had elective treatment as a result of the Executive's prioritisation and additional funding. Whilst more needs to be done, that is a good news story.”
“Both strategies require sustained funding over multiple years if they are to deliver the transformation that has been promised to patients and families. I welcome the Executive's priority in the Programme for Government to tackle waiting lists. That is a key priority — it must be. I also welcome the fact that the Programme for Government's ask has been matched with funding, because you cannot reduce our waiting lists without funding.”
“That is essential for recruitment, retention and morale. The Minister has indicated that pay will be the first item on the agenda when he receives his budget. That must be the case. We cannot have this scenario that we are in, where staff are getting last year's pay award now and where the promised minimum wage uplift for our social care workers has yet to be delivered. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, I will focus on our cancer and mental health services. The cancer and mental health strategies cannot become aspirational documents, simply gathering dust. I tried to find out how many strategies exist in the Health Department. There are many: there are many good strategies, but we need to implement them, fund them and see them become a reality so that they can have the impact in reality that they have on paper.”
“A multi-year settlement would provide certainty; create a space for an important invest-to-save approach, which I mentioned; and allow us to prioritise long-term transformation to reduce our waiting lists, expand our workforce, complete critical capital builds and shift resources towards prevention and community-based care. If we are serious about delivering the neighbourhood model of care, we must be serious about the substantial upfront investment that is required to make it real. We cannot transform our system while funding it on an annual cliff-edge basis. <BR /> <BR />I will highlight specific areas that demand prioritisation from the Health Minister. First, pay. Our health and social care workers and staff have carried our health system through extraordinary pressures. They deserve fair and timely pay awards.”
“With an envelope of more than £8·5 billion, there are many avenues by which we could spend the Health budget better to deliver better outcomes for the patient. However, as a start, it is also important to say that a multi-year Budget is an absolute necessity. It will allow us to plan and transform; invest to save; spend the available money much better; and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes. We must have a multi-year Budget. Year-to-year budgeting forces short-term decisions; costs us more in the long run; undermines important actions, such as workforce planning; and delays capital projects.”
“In that context, I agree with the comments that were made by Mike Farrar, the Health Department's permanent secretary, when he attended the Health Committee, a couple of weeks ago, on 5 February. He said:”
“The Member is absolutely correct. We have decades, if not centuries, of evidence to suggest that the British Government could not care less about the people here. The point that she makes is particularly valid: they seem determined to spend more on military matters than they do on public services. <BR /> <BR />In the here and now, it is important to work together to deliver better outcomes within our current constraints and to push for fair funding for public services. I put on record my thanks and praise to the current Finance Minister, John O'Dowd, and his predecessor, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, for their work in advocating for our Executive in very difficult negotiations with the British Treasury. However, as my party's health spokesperson, I want to be clear: this debate cannot simply be about how much we spend but how well we spend it.”
“In my opinion, that will improve public services and outcomes for the people whom we represent, particularly in the health sphere. I look forward to that day becoming a reality, hopefully in the not-too-distant future.”
“The decline of investment in our public services over the past 15 years is a direct consequence of the years of underfunding imposed by successive British Governments, a legacy that is widely acknowledged even by those who would criticise us for highlighting it. It is impossible to have a debate about forward planning, budgets and improving public services without providing the important context as to why our budgets are stretched and our constituents are still dealing with the impact of decisions made elsewhere. <BR /> <BR />When I correctly highlight the legacy of underfunding, I do so because it helps shape the choices that are available to us in this and future Budget debates. It will not surprise anyone to hear that I think we could do much better in a new Ireland, free from British Government interference.”
“We must ensure that any future capital programme is aligned to a multi-year Budget framework and is supported by clear lines of responsibility between the Department and trusts. The Committee will pay particular attention to the Department's capital programme in the Budget period to ensure the delivery of modern, safe and effective healthcare. <BR /> <BR />I will now say a few words in my capacity as an MLA and Sinn Féin's health spokesperson. Health receives over 50% of the Executive's available Budget — over £8·5 billion. That demonstrates the commitment of the Finance Minister and the Executive to protecting and prioritising Health, even in a constrained fiscal environment. We are all aware of and accept the constrained fiscal environment that Health, and every other Department across the Executive, is forced to operate within.”
“That is why the Committee is focusing on how the Minister is holding the trusts to account for the money that they spend. We need to ensure that lessons are learned and that the same mistakes are not made again. <BR /> <BR />We have already heard from the Belfast Trust that the timeline and costs for the children's hospital have had to be revisited and revised less than a year after work started. At last week's Committee meeting, we heard that the Department is having to prioritise its already prioritised list of capital projects and that a number of projects will, unfortunately, have to be postponed. We also have a maintenance backlog of over £1·6 billion. We need to see how the Department intends to strengthen oversight and governance across the system.”
“In such a context, every pound wasted through poor capital delivery represents a missed opportunity to address waiting lists, pay pressures and declining infrastructure across the health and social care estate. The Committee has had a particular focus on accountability across the health system. We have very large trusts and a larger budget than most other Departments. We must ensure that services are provided in the most efficient way. Just last week, the Committee took evidence from the Department of Health’s interim finance director, who, when asked about savings in the trusts, stated that trusts could do better in the way they spend their money. Accountability is key, especially when finances are extremely pressurised and given that we send the trusts billions of pounds to deliver services.”
“Just last week, the Committee heard that a further £4 million has been allocated for remedial work, which will take at least another two years. The Committee has considerable concerns about the delay in opening the maternity hospital, which should be a good news story for the Department. It is a fantastic facility — I had the opportunity to walk around it — that will provide excellent care for mothers and their children. However, instead of talking about the good news, we have an unused facility in which it is costing over £40,000 per month to maintain regular flushing of the water system. <BR /> <BR />Meanwhile, the wider health system is operating under enormous strain. There are deep structural issues that result from over a decade of underfunding and delayed transformation.”
“Over the past several years, the Health Committee and, indeed, the wider Assembly have been presented with increasingly troubling evidence about failure in the delivery of major capital schemes. Reports from the Public Accounts Committee show that capital projects across Departments, including significant healthcare investments, have accumulated over £3 billion in cost overruns, a situation that has been described as unacceptable and unsustainable. Many of those projects, such as the Belfast maternity hospital and the children's hospital and associated major works, fall directly within the Health portfolio. The maternity hospital has run many years over its original timeline for completion and is at almost double the original cost.”
“I welcome the opportunity to contribute on behalf of the Committee for Health. As I mentioned in yesterday's debate, the financial landscape in which we find ourselves has presented significant challenges to all Departments. That has had considerable impact on the provision of services in our communities. Today, I will specifically outline the Committee's scrutiny and consideration of the Department of Health's capital spend in the Budget. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has concerns about the persistent and serious problems that affect capital projects in the Department of Health. The problems are not merely infrastructural; they directly affect our ability to deliver safe and effective healthcare.”
“Work on the planned £2 million public realm scheme investment to rejuvenate Ballycastle town centre has been halted because of those structural and safety concerns. That is a much-needed scheme designed to breathe new life into Ballycastle: it was scheduled to be completed by 2027, but it has now been halted; we cannot allow that to continue. <BR /> <BR />As I said, I am aware that the structural, safety and planning concerns about the Antrim Arms are likely to be in the courts again in the near future, but I appeal to all parties involved, including the owners and statutory organisations, to work together to come up with a solution urgently. The people and businesses in Ballycastle want to see that happen without delay, and that is the view of the petition, with 2,300 signatures, that I present to the House today.”
“Those who signed the petition are stating that the ongoing situation is creating uncertainty and hardship for traders, residents and visitors, as well as safety issues for children attending the local gaelscoil, and that progress towards a permanent resolution has been insufficiently transparent and inadequately communicated to the local community. Essentially, after 17 months, the residents and businesses of Ballycastle want to see movement and be told when they can get their town centre back to normal. <BR /> <BR />Ballycastle and its people are suffering as a result of the disruption caused by the safety concerns about the Antrim Arms building, but the impact is now going beyond the safety concerns and disruption.”
“As a result, Fairhill Street in Ballycastle was completely blocked off in October 2024, 17 months ago. Since that date, there has been an ongoing and complex dispute involving the property owner, the council planning authority and the historic environment division of the Department for Communities as to how best to progress the matter. That has included legal proceedings, and the matter will, I believe, be before the courts again in the next few months. <BR /> <BR />As stated in the petition, the prolonged closure of Fairhill Street has had a profound and continuing impact, restricting traffic and pedestrian access through the town centre and placing an unacceptable burden on local residents, the wider community and local businesses. It is having an economic impact on the viability and vitality of the town.”
“I present this petition, entitled, "Urgent call for action on Fairhill Street, Ballycastle", on behalf of the residents and local business owners of Ballycastle, particularly those who operate in and around Fairhill Street, Castle Street and the Diamond area of Ballycastle town, who have endured prolonged and continued disruption. The petition currently has over 2,300 signatures. I begin by thanking Claire and Julie, who instigated the online and physical versions of the petition, for their work in providing local residents with a forum to express their frustration at the ongoing situation in Ballycastle town centre. <BR /> <BR />Structural concerns about the Antrim Arms Hotel, a building with a history dating back to the 17th century, were raised towards the end of 2024.”
“I thank the Minister. He is right. The preschool beside the school plays a vital role in enrolment continuity. Given the fact that second- and third-preference allocations will not be known until next Wednesday, the true numbers for 2026-27 are not known yet. Given the long-standing pattern of good enrolment, will the Minister consider looking into that to ensure that there is sustainability of funding for 2026-27, pending the true figures?”
“<BR /> <BR />That concludes my remarks as Committee Chairperson. I want to make remarks as Sinn Féin's health spokesperson, but I will keep those until tomorrow's Budget debate, as they are more appropriate to that.”
“The Health Committee sees many examples of where investment in community services would have a massive impact on patient outcomes and we would start to see better patient flow through our hospital systems. We need to see investment in community services and a move away from more expensive treatments in hospitals. Significant efficiencies can be made by investing in community services, which would, ultimately, improve patient outcomes. The Committee has been particularly focused on that over the past few months. <BR /> <BR />The 2025-26 Budget has been difficult for the Department of Health, being unable to balance its books. I hope that a three-year Budget period will provide the Department with the ability to plan and to invest in our workforce to ensure that there are improvements for patients over the coming years.”
“I pay tribute to all those who work in the Health and Social Care system for the tireless work that they do in caring for people across our communities. I welcome the fact that the Minister has indicated that pay will be the number-one priority in this financial year; that is right and proper. I encourage the Minister to implement the pay award at the earliest opportunity and to implement the real living wage, as he promised. <BR /> <BR />I will talk about the Minister's new neighbourhood model, which is often referred to as "shift left". Every day, we hear about problems in our hospitals' emergency departments (EDs). Ambulances are backing up, and EDs are overflowing with patients. People wait in EDs for a hospital bed for days, while hundreds of patients await discharge when community care is not available.”
“That provides some flexibility for the Department, but it still has a significant impact on the Health Minister's ability to implement the reforms that, hopefully, we all accept, are necessary. Last week, departmental officials told the Committee that, even with the reserve claim, the Department is looking at an overspend of almost £26 million in this financial year. <BR /> <BR />We need to ensure that our Health and Social Care (HSC) workers receive the pay that they are entitled to. It is disappointing that healthcare workers received their backdated pay only this month. It is also extremely disappointing that the Minister went back on his promise to pay the real living wage to care providers. Our Health and Social Care workers are key to our healthcare system and vital to delivering good patient outcomes across the North.”