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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“The Committee was also disappointed that a number of capital projects were put on hold in this financial year and that funding was transferred from capital to resource to mitigate the pressures on the budget. The Committee would like that not to happen in the coming years. There needs to be a focus on delivering capital projects well in our health estate. <BR /> <BR />In previous years, the Department has relied heavily on in-year allocations that have allowed it to break even in those financial years. However, in this financial year, with the financial pressures on Departments, it has not been possible to allocate sufficient funds in the monitoring rounds. That has resulted in a £185 million reserve claim by the Department of Health that will need to be paid over the next three years.”
“The Committee outlined its concern that, with that level of shortfall and the savings that were expected to be achieved by trusts, there would be an impact on patient safety and outcomes. The Committee welcomes the fact that the Department managed to avoid implementing any cuts that would compromise patient safety. However, there were impacts on health outcomes for patients across the system. <BR /> <BR />The Committee welcomed the Programme for Government Executive priority of addressing waiting lists and the money allocated and earmarked for doing so. The Committee welcomes the progress that has been made to date; however, it was disappointed that almost £75 million of the money was redirected to address pressures in the system and was not used directly to benefit those on waiting lists.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motions and specifically to outline the Health Committee's consideration of the Department of Health's budget and allocations over the 2025-26 Budget period. <BR /> <BR />The Committee recognises the significant budgetary constraints and pressures that the Department of Health is under; indeed, that goes for the wider Executive, with all Departments under significant pressure. However, the health system is under extreme and unsustainable pressure. The decisions that are taken will not just shape the health and well-being of our population this financial year but have an impact on them for years to come. <BR /> <BR />Although the Budget provided record headline funding of £8·4 billion, the Department outlined a significant shortfall of approximately £400 million.”
“That is what we are talking about today: it is so that services can be planned, delivered and evaluated to the standard that the people whom we represent expect and that exists elsewhere in the healthcare system.”
“It provides drop-in support, counselling and suicide prevention services and is a lifeline for many individuals and families. I give particular credit to Compass Advocacy Network, which is based at Lislagan farm just outside Ballymoney. It provides support and services for people with learning disability, autism and mental health needs. Aware NI, which operates in North Antrim as well, is also worthy of mention. <BR /> <BR />The motion is about giving our clinicians, planners and communities the tools to succeed. The Minister described it well when he talked about having a system and services that are not just there for the benefit of the system but need to be there for the patient.”
“The Minister thanked the clinicians, which is clearly right and appropriate. They provide a service and do their best in difficult circumstances. In my constituency, for example, they are helped by outstanding community organisations that step up every day to provide support to mental ill health sufferers and their families. I record my appreciation of Solas Wellbeing in Ballycastle, whose representatives I met last week. It is an excellent example of a community-based charitable organisation that provides mental health and emotional well-being for the people of Ballycastle, the glens, the Ballymoney area and further afield. It provides positive support to over 5,000 users every year and should be commended. I also thank Turning Point, which operates a mental health crisis hub in Ballymena.”
“Kate Nicholl approaches most contributions here with a smile, and she was particularly happy today. I think that she really enjoys talking about the subject, but it is an important one and, as I said, we can use it to our benefit not only for patient outcomes but for greater research.”
“The South already has well-established public reporting. Pairing that with data from here would enable better cross-border insight, especially for border communities, into shared risk factors such as rural isolation and youth mental health. All-island alignment would also, as I said, unlock research and innovation. Larger data sets and more robust evaluation of what works in prevention crisis, response and recovery would mean greater learning.”
“I thank the Member for her intervention. She makes a very valid point. <BR /> <BR />All this is central to the mental health strategy's stated aim and to public accountability. There is great value in exploring where mental health data should and could be gathered and aligned on an all-Ireland basis. Mental health challenges do not recognise borders. Harmonised metrics and data sharing would improve comparability and strengthen early warning for suicide clusters and self-harm trends, and, importantly, it would support research and funding bids. <BR /> <BR />The Minister concurred with the secondary use of data that Kate Nicholl mentioned. That is something that I have asked for, and it would be important on an all-Ireland basis. We could improve our economy using greater research and access greater funding with secondary use of data.”
“Poor mental health provision, as we know, does not stay within a silo of the health service. When early intervention is unavailable and waiting lists grow, pressure is displaced on to schools that are managing rising anxiety and self-harm; on to emergency departments, where people in crisis present because no alternative exists; and on to the PSNI and the justice system, which deal with the consequences rather than the causes.”
“<BR /> <BR />The mental health strategy recognises the importance of data and outcomes as core enablers, but our system still lacks a single, standardised platform with regular public reporting. I was interested in hearing what the Minister had to say. We all know about the potential of Encompass. We wait to see it achieve its full potential, but I was heartened to hear the Minister talk about that potential. I am disappointed, however, that we will have to wait for a time to see that. <BR /> <BR />As other Members said, other jurisdictions on these islands already regularly publish comparable mental health data. That transparency supports service planning, accountability and public trust. There is no reason why the public in the North should expect less.”
“<BR /> <BR />The mental health strategy, which, as the Minister pointed out, was meant to provide a decade-long transformation and progress, has been constrained by underfunding relative to the original commitments, and the consequences are plain to see in the services and outcomes across the North. Against that backdrop, poor data is not a technicality but a structural barrier to good care. At present, key information across trusts is fragmented, inconsistent and, in some areas, unavailable. The gaps make it harder to understand demand, plan capacity or evaluate outcomes. That is not fair to service users and their families or to the staff who deliver care, often in challenging and outdated facilities.”
“I concur with my colleague Linda in praising Órlaithí Flynn for pushing, highlighting and promoting this issue and for, sometimes, asking uncomfortable questions. I was struck when she said that there were 290 deaths by suicide last year. That is an unbelievable and shocking statistic. We talked today about that important information, and that was not lost on Members, because everybody spoke about the importance of how we use data to transform our health services and improve the lives of the people we represent. In some cases, hopefully with those 290 people in mind as we move forward, we can save lives among the people whom we represent.”
“This is an easy debate to wind up on because there has been unanimous agreement. The only point of disharmony has been on the pronunciation of the word "data": without causing any controversy, I will opt for "dah-ta". <BR /> <BR />Alan Chambers said that the asks in the motion are sensible and reasonable, and that just about covers it. The motion addresses a fundamental weakness in dealing with the North's mental health crisis, which is the absence of accurate, consistent and centralised data at a time when the need could not be clearer. Across CAMHS, community mental health teams, addiction services and suicide prevention pathways, demand continues to rise faster than the system can respond.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“Absolutely. I thank the Member for the intervention. At the Health Committee, we often talk about the success of pilots, but, in many cases, they stop at being pilots and do not become actual services. I absolutely commend the PITSTOP service and want to see it initiated further and integrated fully into our health service. <BR /> <BR />The Department of Health has already costed the move to 24/7 thrombectomy at just over £5 million a year, which would not only enable additional procedures to be carried out but allow equitable access, as I said. That investment is modest when set against the human impact, the financial savings and the urgent need identified by clinicians, stroke charities and stroke survivors themselves. <BR /> <BR />We hope to hear good news from the Minister when he makes his contribution.”
“I also acknowledge initiatives like the PITSTOP pilot at Altnagelvin Area Hospital, which is designed to minimise transfer delays by keeping the ambulance on site until thrombectomy eligibility is confirmed. That kind of innovation shows what is possible when we design services around patients' needs.”
“Analysis shows that 45% to 55% of patients treated with thrombectomy regain functional independence whether they arrived directly or were transferred from another hospital. Imagine the outcomes that we could achieve with full 24/7 availability, equitable access and reduced transfer delays. <BR /> <BR />I commend the dedication of our stroke clinicians, neuro-radiologists, rehabilitation teams and community support organisations, including the Stroke Association and NI Chest, Heart and Stroke, which continue to innovate and advocate for stroke survivors across the North. I, too, welcome the stroke survivors and campaigners to the Chamber to listen to the debate. I acknowledge their efforts to achieve progress on the issue.”
“According to the Public Health Agency (PHA), there are approximately 39,000 stroke survivors living in the North, with around 2,800 new stroke patients each year and up to 1,000 people losing their lives as a result of stroke. We know that timely thrombectomy can prevent many long-term disabilities. We also know that our stroke services are too thinly spread to meet best practice standards without reform and that consolidating them into hyper-acute centres is widely recognised as being essential to expanding thrombectomy to a 24/7 service. <BR /> <BR />Despite those structural pressures, the success of the North's health service teams within current limitations should give us confidence.”
“In the North, according to 2024-25 figures, we deliver thrombectomy to just 5·2% of stroke patients even though the evidence shows that at least 10% could be eligible. Every one of those missed opportunities matters: they certainly matter to patients. Around a quarter of patients who receive thrombectomy experience reduced long-term disability, and a fifth regain functional independence. The financial argument is equally compelling: each patient who receives thrombectomy saves the health service an estimated £47,000 over five years due to reduced demand for rehabilitation, long-term care and social support. That is why stroke charities and clinicians consistently describe thrombectomy as a clear case of investing to save. <BR /> <BR />The wider context in the North makes it even more urgent.”
“Despite a commitment in the 2022 stroke action plan to deliver a 24/7 thrombectomy service by the end of 2024, we are in 2026 with a service that is still available only between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm. That means that around 100 patients in the North miss out on thrombectomy every year simply because their stroke occurs outside the available hours. That is despite thrombectomy being described repeatedly by stroke experts as a game-changing treatment that saves lives, preserves brain function and significantly reduces disability.”
“We all know the FAST campaign — face, arms, speech, time — and we all understand how vital it is to recognise the signs of a stroke quickly. However, FAST is only the beginning, because, once a stroke is suspected, every minute matters. We know that 1·9 million brain cells are lost every minute that a stroke goes untreated, which means delays that are devastating for patients and their families. Rapid access to specialist care dramatically increases the chances of survival, recovery and long-term independence. <BR /> <BR />Modern AI tools help clinicians interpret scans faster, but technology alone is not enough. For those decisions to save lives and prevent disability, they must be followed immediately by the right intervention, and that is why services in the North require improvement.”
“I accept the Minister's response. I am led to believe that it is a particularly inexpensive addition to the screening process. He outlined the fact that there is a pilot taking place in Scotland. There is also a screening programme in the South. I ask the Minister to consider evidence from the South when he looks at this issue in fullness.”
“Following on from other Members who got their plugs in, I urge the Minister not to forget about the potential of the Tour de France when she looks at sports tourism here in the North. We have had a lot of talk today about the positives of tourism. Minister, can you outline the economic benefits of Tourism Ireland's international marketing campaign?”
“<BR /> <BR />As we mark Heart Month, it is vital that we look after our own heart health, and it is equally vital that, as an Assembly, we show leadership by prioritising prevention, supporting research and ensuring that the health service is properly equipped to meet the growing challenge of heart disease. Lives depend on it.”
“Heart disease does not discriminate; it affects people of all ages and from all families and communities, often without warning. I have to be honest and say that, when I was reading those statistics, I was quite shocked. What shocked me even more than the statistics was that, despite those statistics, which are shocking, and the challenges that are associated with them, there is currently no heart disease action plan or strategy in place here in the North. The most recent framework dates back to 2014. It is now more than a decade old and is no longer fit for today's pressures, today's science or today's opportunities for prevention and treatment. There is a clear gap in policy that must be addressed.”
“Heart and circulatory disease accounts for nearly a quarter of deaths in the North every year; that is 4,400 lives lost annually or 12 deaths every day. Around 20,000 people have been diagnosed with heart failure by their GP. What makes that even more concerning is that many of those deaths are preventable, and, with the right care, many people can live long, active and fulfilling lives after diagnosis. The risk factors across our population are stark: 30% of adults live with obesity, and around one in eight adults here still smoke. Some 300,000 people have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, which is a condition linked to more than half of heart attacks and strokes in the North. Almost half of adults do not meet recommended physical activity levels.”
“February marks Heart Month, and, this year, the theme is 'Walk for Hearts'. It is a simple message but an important one, reminding us that small, everyday actions can play a big role in protecting our heart health. The statistics, however, show the reality that, for a large number of our population in the North, general heart health is not good. For decades, diagnosis and treatment, alongside major medical advances and research led by organisations such as the British Heart Foundation, have helped to dramatically reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease. However, we are stalling, and, in some cases, we are beginning to reverse. <BR /> <BR />More than 230,000 people here live with a cardiovascular condition.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I am not going to interject or question your ruling, Mr Speaker, but I see no context for bad manners in Committee meetings.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. It is also worth considering whether a Member should have to declare an interest when raising a point of order about a debate on an issue about that Member.”
“I thank the Minister for that response. I can certainly tell him that there is no overprovision in North Antrim; as I said, demand far outstrips supply. Will the Minister encourage the EA to engage in good faith with the preschool settings in my constituency to try to resolve the issue and see whether further capacity can be provided?”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. During Members' statements, you interrupted a Member because the subject matter under discussion related to a matter scheduled for debate and rightly pointed out that Members should not do that. That is, I think, in Standing Order 24A(6)(b). In my view, the Member continued to make her Member's statement on the subject under imminent discussion, so I think that it is worth asking your office to make a ruling on that.”
“I have previously highlighted concerns about early diagnosis, unacceptable waiting times for red-flag referrals, workforce pressures, outdated imaging equipment and access to specialist treatments such as CAR T-cell therapy. In the Chamber, we have heard many individuals' stories, and MLAs have often helped bring into sharp focus the very real human impact of the illness and the shortcomings in our health system. On World Cancer Day, I urge the Assembly to unite around those unique experiences and turn them into meaningful change.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is important that I recognise and pay tribute to the contributions of the many individuals and organisations that provide fundraising, research, support, care and treatment for members of our cancer community and their families. As Health Committee Chair, I have had the privilege of engaging with the staff of groups such as Cancer Focus, Cancer Research, Macmillan Cancer Support, Young Lives vs Cancer and all the hospices and their many local support groups, as well as the groups campaigning across the North on behalf of people with the various types of cancer, so I see at first hand the enormity of their work and the impact that it has. <BR /> <BR />Cancer affects thousands of families in the North every year. We know from recent debates in the Chamber that there are many gaps and challenges in cancer care here.”
“On Wednesday 4 February, people across the globe will mark World Cancer Day, taking the opportunity to raise awareness of cancer and to promote its prevention, early detection and treatment. World Cancer Day offers an important day on which to reflect on the impact of cancer on individuals, families and communities across the North. It is an opportunity to remember our family members or friends whom we have lost as a result of that terrible disease. I recognise the courage of those living with cancer and the resilience of all our cancer survivors. This year, the World Cancer Day campaign will seek to highlight the emotional and social realities of cancer: aspects that are too often overlooked but that deeply impact on and shape people's lives.”
“I do not think that there are any sticking points that would prevent the Minister and the Department from taking it forward. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the steps that are being taken. I agree with the other MLAs who have complimented the Department on keeping us up to date after the initial phase. I get weekly emails, and there is regular contact, so we are kept well up to date. We are told that the bridge is on track to be fully reopened in mid-February. Hopefully, the Minister will confirm that that is the case. The local campaign for progress towards having something more permanent down the line is something that I wholeheartedly support.”
“The Kilrea Bridge was built in 1783, and nobody is questioning the fact that the volume of traffic has increased substantially since then. Given the increased volume of traffic, the local community is campaigning for a new bridge as a desired outcome. As well as the recent disruption, there was a lesser case of disruption not that long ago. The local community is concerned about an increase in the number of times that they will be disrupted. <BR /> <BR />My council colleagues have raised a number of issues and worked cross-party to ensure that the potential for a new bridge in Kilrea is prioritised and added to the local development plan and the local transport plan. That is a good step, allowing the potential for a new bridge to be formally assessed and costed before being included in the council's local plans.”
“Having engaged with businesses there and seen it with my own eyes, I became aware of the added traffic disruption there. We all breathed a sigh of relief when, owing to the Department's efforts, the bridge was reopened temporarily to most vehicles, with the exception of heavy vehicles. That has reduced a good proportion of the disruption. <BR /> <BR />As other Members have said, there is still a level of disruption, however. Businesses in Kilrea suffered over the Christmas period, when it definitely had an impact, and there was some disruption to school transport. A number of parents contacted my constituency office about that. Maurice Bradley clearly articulated the problem of trying to look after historical structures while making progress.”
“I thank the Member for securing the Adjournment debate. I was elected not in East Derry but in North Antrim. My constituency, however, ends on one side of Kilrea Bridge, so it is an issue that has had an impact on my constituents' daily lives, be that in going to their places of work, taking their children to school or engaging in their day-to-day business. I should declare an interest, as I use the road a lot to travel to see my father in Swatragh and to do other things across the bridge in Kilrea. I therefore understand the impact that the disruption has had. <BR /> <BR />I cannot disagree with anything that Maurice Bradley said. The bridge was closed in September 2025 after the Department found structural issues. That caused an awful lot of disruption and a 20-to-25-mile diversion. I represent Portglenone.”
“I met the Causeway Community Action Group recently, and I meet businesses in Ballycastle and groups in Ballintoy, on the issue of high traffic volume, particularly in peak season, and some of the issues associated with that. In response to Mr Bradley, Minister, you talked about working with councils. What work is your Department doing with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council on the development of its Connected Causeway growth deal project, which is to alleviate some of those problems?”
“Minister, your statement covered a lot of important issues, and there is a lot to be welcomed, particularly the GMC's recognition of the all-island paediatric cardiology training scheme. All sectors of our health service, when I engage with them, talk about training and recruitment as key issues affecting workforce and, ultimately, patient outcomes. How many trainees are expected to benefit from the cardiology training scheme? Are there plans to extend similar all-island specialist training schemes into other clinical areas that face workforce issues in the North?”
“I thank the Minister for his response. The Minister is aware that the livestock industry plays a vital role on an all-island basis. On biosecurity, will his Department consider assessing the potential of an all-island approach to bovine electronic identification (e-ID), particularly for enhanced disease control, improved traceability and smoother cross-border trade?”
“I thank the Member for allowing me to come in. The amendment calls for a commitment to stop spending on private healthcare. The Member mentioned a decision taken previously by the Assembly. When I talked about the need for an all-Ireland health service, I envisaged it being free at the point of delivery with public access. Does the Member agree that the priority for citizens in the North must be reducing waiting lists? Does he also agree that, when it comes to building a workforce that is capable of providing the public service that he and I want to see, we must use all the levers in our hands to reduce waiting lists, get people off waiting lists and give them good patient outcomes?”
“— rather than having stress and moral dilemma.”
“I hope that Members will deal with those two issues in their contributions. I really hope that the Minister will give a commitment that winter pressure planning for 2026-27 will begin much earlier and that detailed plans will be published in a timely way. Patients deserve timely access to care at the point in their lives when they feel most vulnerable. Staff deserve to have safe, sustainable working conditions in which they know that they are making a difference —”
“I am not sure that we all agree on that. I agree from a constituency point of view, where I see the difficulties that families have getting care packages to allow their loved ones to be discharged from hospital. However, since December and during January, I have been contacted by numerous care providers covering four trust areas telling me that they stand ready to do much more than they are being asked to do but face constraints and obstacles from the trusts and the Department. They tell me that they have the capacity to clear many of the patients who are currently unable to get hospital discharge. I certainly do not agree with the fact that it should take five years to resolve the problem. <BR /> <BR />Getting ambulance handover times reduced is also a necessity, and dealing with primary care is obviously an issue.”
“I totally concur. I fully support the introduction of the real living wage for home care workers. I will address home care in a bit more detail. Paying staff properly is obviously part of that issue. <BR /> <BR />Last week, at Question Time, the Health Minister said:”
“Doctors, nurses, paramedics and support staff are being asked to operate in extremely difficult conditions. They are, in effect, holding the health system together at that critical point of care. <BR /> <BR />Emergency departments are overcrowded not because of a failure in emergency departments but because of system-wide throughput problems. The Fiscal Council's sustainability report clearly identifies problems such as delayed discharges, insufficient step-down and community capacity and bottlenecks in social care and immediate care. When patients cannot move out of hospital beds, new patients cannot move in, leading to corridor care and ambulance stacking. Those issues have been diagnosed in detail, yet they remain largely unaddressed.”
“We have read the Audit Office report and the Fiscal Council report, which is referenced in the motion. <BR /> <BR />As the Deputy Chair of the Health Committee, Danny Donnelly, stated, he and I visited the emergency department at Antrim Area Hospital on a Sunday evening over the Christmas period to see for ourselves the situation. We saw ambulances lined up and parked outside the entrance, unable to discharge their patients. We saw care in the corridors and patients sitting in chairs, awaiting admittance. It was particularly informative, as Danny said, to speak to the staff about their view of the root causes of the blockages and the pressures that they face. I thank the staff to whom we spoke that night and all the staff working in our hospitals and health service for their work.”
“They sit together on hard chairs in waiting rooms or in the back of an ambulance, and then, once admitted, they are put on trolleys in corridors or recliner chairs in observation areas until a bed becomes available. Dignity and privacy are now left at the door of our EDs. <BR /> <BR />The system is under intolerable strain. While it is a year-long issue, the problem becomes exacerbated at wintertime. What particularly baffles the public is the fact that winter pressure is entirely foreseeable. Distressed family members of elderly patients continually ask me what is being done to stop it happening year after year. It is a simple enough question. We see the same patterns every year with increasing severity. We have all heard and read the warnings from clinicians and professional bodies.”