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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“<BR /> <BR />The Committee was briefed twice by officials on the Bill: once in May 2024 on the progress of the then draft Bill, and more recently on 19 June 2025, after it had been introduced.”
“Those include the duty to make follow-up enquiries in all cases where someone is suspected of being an adult who is at risk. It also includes new powers for health trusts, which will facilitate their duty to investigate, including the power of entry and three protection orders — the assessment order, the removal order and the banning order. The Bill will see the introduction of two new offences: ill treatment and wilful neglect. It will establish the independent Adult Protection Board and its functions, duties and responsibilities. <BR /> <BR />Clauses 43 to 47 provide the Department with the ability to bring forward regulations on the use of CCTV in a daycare setting, nursing home, residential care home and mental health unit. As the Minister said, that is not mandatory.”
“Those principles are: prevention, ensuring that those in care are as safe as possible; autonomy, presuming that adults have the capacity to make their own decisions; empowerment, supporting people to make informed choices; dignity, paying attention to people's human rights; proportionality, taking interventions in a person's best interests; partnership, recognising the importance of an adult's family, friends and carers; and accountability, which is about transparency for decisions that are made and roles and responsibilities. We can all welcome those principles, and it is good to see them at the forefront of the Bill in clause 1. <BR /> <BR />The Bill also introduces a number of new duties and powers that seek to strengthen the protection of vulnerable adults.”
“The Bill has, therefore, been more than five years in the making, and the Committee will seek to ensure that it puts the protections and safeguards in place that will prevent scandals such as that at Muckamore from happening to vulnerable adults again. <BR /> <BR />As the Minister outlined, the legislation is a significant Bill that is based on seven principles that should be adhered to by everyone involved in adult protection.”
“I welcome the opportunity to make some remarks on behalf of the Health Committee. I will outline the Committee's consideration of the Bill before speaking as my party's health spokesperson. <BR /> <BR />The Committee welcomes that the Minister has introduced the Bill. As he pointed out, it has been a long time in the making. In September 2020, the previous Minister of Health announced his intention to consult on legislative options to inform an adult protection Bill. That followed the significant adult safeguarding failures in Dunmurry Manor care home and Muckamore Abbey Hospital and two resultant reports: the Commissioner for Older People's 'Home Truths' report and the report of a further independent review to examine the health and social care system's response to care failings.”
“Further to that, Minister, what effect, if any, will the reinstatement of the winter fuel payment have on the fuel poverty strategy?”
“As the First Minister will know, the Assembly recently democratically expressed its will that votes in elections for the president of Ireland should be extended to all Irish citizens on the island of Ireland. Further to that, does she agree that the extension of presidential voting rights to Irish citizens in the North should be a priority for the Dublin Government?”
“In my opinion, the Executive and the Southern Government have a responsibility to examine those matters as a matter of priority.”
“We should establish a single, integrated hospital waiting-list system for the island of Ireland. Emergency services should be aligned in order to maximise recruitment, training and operational capacity, especially in the border region. We think that there is a need to establish a rural health commission in order to develop an all-island rural health strategy. <BR /> <BR />The reality is that, since the Good Friday Agreement was achieved, the health services, North and South, have been finding new ways to cooperate. However, while cross-border collaboration is fairly common, all-island planning and delivery of services is extremely rare. An all-island national health and care service will be to the advantage of all citizens on this island.”
“The reality is that the population of the island of Ireland is growing. It is expected that the current population of just over seven million will reach eight million by 2050. Those are just some of the pressures that are facing the partitioned economy and healthcare systems. On an island this small, division makes no sense. <BR /> <BR />That is why, last week, Sinn Féin launched its discussion document, 'The Case for an Irish National Health and Care Service'. In our health and care discussion paper, we make a range of sensible proposals, including that the Shared Island unit develop detailed costings for integrating the healthcare systems, North and South, and that Ministers, North and South, should design, plan and integrate health on an all-island basis.”
“Provision of a good healthcare system is top of everyone's demands of politicians and Governments, but here, on this island, successive Irish and British Governments have not prioritised their public health services. They have failed to plan services according to need, to train and retain enough health and social care professionals or to modernise health and social care provision for the 21st century. The gap between public and private healthcare is growing in the South's two-tier health service. Despite the all-party commitment to Sláintecare, little progress has been made towards realising that vision. Waiting times have also grown unacceptably long here in the North, where the crisis is exacerbated by Westminster's financial control and the impact of partition on our ability to make decisions that maximise all-island potential.”
“and bring the Member back to the motion that we are discussing. I raise that through a point of order.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I allowed a bit of latitude, thinking that the Speaker might interject”
“I thank the Minister for her response. I totally agree with her that we can all take action to increase safety when we are on the road. She mentioned graduated driver licensing as a safety option: is she able to provide more information on that?”
“It was the other way round. You said 28 May, and I said 29 May.”
“Officials also committed to working with Community Pharmacy on the next steps for implementation. Again, the Minister has outlined how that will happen. At the meeting on 29 May 2025, the Committee agreed that it was content with the policy intent, and, on 12 June 2025, the Committee recommended that the draft statutory instrument be approved by the Assembly.”
“The officials provided details of the elements that are to be put in place to ensure accountability, governance and transparency for patients. The Committee noted at that briefing that the consultation was on two different models. Model 1 involves medicines being assembled and returned from the hub to the spoke pharmacy before being supplied to the patient. Model 2 involves the hub pharmacy supplying medicines directly to the patient. Responses from here in the North raised significant concerns about model 2, including the potential of undermining the relationship between pharmacies and patients. Revised proposals mean that only model 1 will be introduced at this stage. Officials informed the Committee that there would be a further public consultation before any introduction of model 2.”
“I welcome this opportunity to confirm, as the Minister said, the Health Committee's support for the motion. The legislation enables all community pharmacies and dispensing doctors to access hub-and-spoke dispensing, should they wish to do so. As the Minister outlined, under the current legislation, medicine that is dispensed in one pharmacy can only be sold or supplied by that pharmacy or another within the same legal identity. The regulations will remove barriers to help community pharmacies streamline how they manage the dispensing workload and release capacity in their teams to undertake more patient-centred services. <BR /> <BR />Department of Health officials briefed the Committee on the draft SI on 29 May 2025. I think that the Minister said it was 28 May, but it was 29 May.”
“Will he therefore outline what discussions he has had with GP representatives to determine the level of access to Encompass that they require? Will he also outline any progress that has made in any discussions?”
“The Minister has just said about Encompass:”
“I thank the Minister for the statement. Like her and others, I put on record my admiration for the campaigners, and particularly for Alma White who, through Caleb's Cause, has shone a particular focus in recent times on this issue. Clearly, the statement is long and detailed and its most important positives are for the many young adults, their families and their carers who are affected. Further to that, Minister, what potential long-term savings are there from investing in support for young people with learning disabilities?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer and for the agreement. How important was Professor Holtham’s work in the agreement that was reached?”
“In her previous responses, the Minister touched on dual market access and its importance. What impact will the agreement between the EU and the British Government have on dual market access?”
“The conference voted in support of a citizens' assembly on health as part of a discussion on healthcare in a new Ireland. On an island of seven million people, which is less than the population of most of the world's great cities, it makes no sense to have two separate health services, with no all-Ireland healthcare plan. A national health service linked to a growing all-Ireland economy that is providing new jobs and higher wages and raising living standards and providing additional tax revenues for better public services, including health and education, can successfully overcome existing health inequality.”
“Last Friday, in the Eileen Howell Centre, I attended Sinn Féin's Commission on the Future of Ireland's conference on health and care in a new Ireland. Ghlac breis is 100 gairmí sláinte páirt sa chomhdháil. Labhair na painéalaithe ar an taithí atá acu ar an tsoláthar cúram sláinte agus ar na bearnaí atá sa chóras faoi láthair.”
“All-Ireland cooperation and planning makes sense. It is the responsibility of the Irish Government and the Executive to work together to improve health services for the people of Ireland. They should also give the health and care community the necessary space to deliver improvements in a fair and shared way and without regard to the border. <BR /> <BR />Má tá borradh ag teacht ar na comhráití ar an chuma bhunreachtúil a bheas ar Éirinn sa todhchaí, tá an borradh céanna ag teacht ar an díospóireacht faoi sholáthar na sláinte.”
“Is tosaíocht ag cách an tsláinte agus seirbhís mhaith sláinte. Dá bhrí sin, má bhíonn cúram sláinte uile-oileáin ann, is amhlaidh is fearr a bheas na torthaí d’othair. Luíonn seirbhís sláinte uile-oileáin le ciall. Níor thug Rialtas na hÉireann ná Rialtas na Breataine tús áite riamh dár seirbhísí sláinte poiblí. Tá an comhrá faoin athrú bhunreachtúil ag méadú. Tá glúin úr atá líon lán de thallann, de fhuinneamh agus de mhisneach ag teacht chun tosaigh le hÉire nua a chruthú.”
“Racism and the sickening behaviour behind it are abhorrent and have no place in our society. I urge politicians to consider the serious consequences of using inflammatory language, whether in the media or elsewhere. Labelling certain communities or conflating entirely separate issues can play a dangerous role in stoking tensions on our streets.”
“The first thing that I want to do is appeal for calm in Ballymena. The scenes of violence last night were disgraceful and do not reflect the vast majority of the people who live in Ballymena town. The violence needs to be condemned by everyone. Political leaders must use measured language and avoid stoking tensions. At the centre of it all is a victim. Violence against women and girls anywhere in our society is reprehensible and must be eradicated. We must let the PSNI conduct its investigations thoroughly and let the courts do their job. Together, we must unite and say, "Enough is enough" and do everything that we can to bring violence against, harm to and abuse of women and girls to an end. <BR /> <BR />The thugs who set out to cause havoc and misery last night must be brought to justice and face the full force of the law.”
“The scrutiny of the Department of Health's budget for 2025-26 is not merely a procedural formality; it is a critical process so that we can determine the trajectory of healthcare here in the North. We look forward to doing that from next year, hopefully in an environment with multi-year budgets, which will really allow our health system to move forward at pace. We will continue to scrutinise the Health Minister throughout the 2025-26 year for the £8·4 billion that he has at his disposal in the Health budget and to ensure that patient outcomes are foremost in all the decisions that he takes.”
“The Health Committee has questioned the Health Minister, and will continue to do so, about whether funds are being used efficiently and the budget aligns with the strategic goals of improving patient outcomes and service sustainability. The Health Committee and the Assembly have a pivotal role in scrutinising the budget. We must ensure that allocations are equitable, justified and conducive to long-term health system improvements. We also see the need for public engagement. Citizens have the right to understand how funds are being utilised and to voice concerns about service delivery. <BR /> <BR />The Health Committee takes its role in scrutinising the budget seriously.”
“It also welcomes the Minister's indications that there needs to be a system reset and that we need to see services shift left, out of hospitals and into primary care and our communities. It is worrying therefore that, at the first hurdle, the Health Minister has stopped negotiations with the BMA in relation to funding allocations for GP services. If we want to see a shift of services left, we need adequate resourcing and funding to ensure that all patients are treated equally and fairly. <BR /> <BR />Given all those challenges, scrutiny of the Health budget is imperative. Scrutiny ensures transparency, holds decision makers and our Health Minister accountable and allows for informed adjustments to allocations.”
“Whilst that shows the Executive's commitment to prioritise health, it is a worrying trend, in that we are seeing more and more money being put into a system that could and should function much better and in which patients are waiting longer and having worse outcomes. At present, we do not see an efficient system. We need to see change in our health system and how it works so that we do not end up, in another four to five years, seeing a similar increase in the budget with similar outcomes. All the money that is invested in the health service must be about ensuring the best possible outcomes for patients and citizens. <BR /> <BR />The Committee welcomes the £215 million that has been ring-fenced by the Executive to help to reduce our lengthy waiting lists, in line with Programme for Government commitments on health.”
“I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Budget (No. 2) Bill. As we all have, I have spoken about the Bill on numerous occasions in the past couple of months. I will say a few words on the Health Committee's important role in scrutinising the health system and the Health Minister. <BR /> <BR />The Finance Minister has allocated £8·4 billion to the Department of Health. The Health Minister has outlined to the Committee that, even with that sum this year, he still expects to be short by some £600 million. When I look back at previous Budget debates, I see that, in the 2021-22 financial year, the initial resource allocation for the Department of Health was £6·45 billion. That means that, over four to five years, we will potentially have seen an increase in the Health budget of close to 50%.”
“the Health Committee in relation to the details of what level 5 means. We welcome the Minister's intervention, which is right and proper, but, even though it was a very important step, we are very unclear about what it means in reality.”
“Minister, the response to the Committee's request for departmental officials to attend a meeting so that we could interrogate the details of your written statement said the following:”
“Those drugs can help about 90% of those living with cystic fibrosis to prolong and improve their life. Unfortunately, due to the cost of the drugs, many people across the world, including children, are denied access to that medication. Access to life-changing medicine should be made available to all. <BR /> <BR />Cystic fibrosis is a lifelong battle, but it is a battle that is slowly being won. Through awareness, science and compassion, we can support those who live with the condition and work to a future where "CF" stands not for suffering but for "cure found". For that to happen, continued research, funding and awareness are essential. In Cystic Fibrosis Week, I encourage people, be it in a school, local community group or business, to help to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and life-changing research.”
“Daily life for someone with cystic fibrosis often involves hours of treatment, the use of inhalers, having physiotherapy to clear mucus and taking multiple medications just to stay healthy. Cystic fibrosis is not just a medical condition; it is a life story for those who have it. <BR /> <BR />Despite its challenges, people with cystic fibrosis are resilient. Many become advocates, athletes and scientists, driven by the fight to find a cure. There was a time when cystic fibrosis meant a short life that often did not extend beyond primary-school years. However, thanks to research and innovation, life expectancy has improved dramatically, and we see people living longer and healthier lives. Breakthrough cystic fibrosis modulator drugs transform lives by treating the root cause of the disease for many patients, not just the symptoms.”
“Today marks the beginning of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Week. Approximately 100,000 people have been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis worldwide. In Ireland, we have the highest rate of cystic fibrosis per capita in the world, and, in the North, 500 people live with it. In Cystic Fibrosis Week, we have the opportunity to raise awareness and promote understanding of what it is like to live with the condition. It is also an opportunity to share stories and host fundraising events, particularly on 13 June, which is Wear Yellow Day. <BR /> <BR />CF is a life-threatening genetic condition that severely affects the lungs, impacts on the digestive system and can lead to other complications, including diabetes, liver disease and infertility.”
“The Committee will apply the necessary scrutiny to departmental spending this year and to the bids that the Department will make, and I will comment more on that during next week's Budget (No. 2) Bill debate.”
“We are keen also to understand the breakdown of that and the plan to address that backlog.”
“I thank the Member for her intervention. The mother-and-baby unit is an essential part of healthcare for citizens here in the North, and, as Chair of the Health Committee, I want to see that built very soon. The Member will know, as I know, that our Committee has, on too many occasions, discussed problems in the Belfast Trust and inefficiencies and, in particular, problems with capital investment in that trust area. We want to see that resolved and lessons learned from those events so that we can move forward and use all the money available to the Health Minister and our health services in the most efficient way to deliver better outcomes for our patients, including mothers and children here in the North. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has been advised that there is a £1·6 billion backlog of maintenance work on our health estates.”
“Tough decisions need to be made by the Health Minister to better support our primary and community services to be able to provide the services that our communities need. As a Committee, we will work with the Minister to ensure better outcomes for patients, staff and communities. <BR /> <BR />It is also the Committee's intention to pay close attention to the Department's capital budget spend over the next number of years. We have seen significant delays and overspend in relation to the new maternity hospital. We have seen and heard of the significant issues with the mental health in-patient unit, and, while the Committee will continue to monitor progress on those projects, it is keen to know what lessons the Department and the trusts have learned from those projects and that those lessons will be implemented —.”
“The Committee therefore welcomes the Executive priority in relation to waiting lists and the £215 million allocated in this financial year to address waiting lists. Not only will it have an impact on those waiting lists, but we should see efficiencies across the system in community, primary, secondary and social care settings. <BR /> <BR />At last week's Committee meeting, the Minister and new interim permanent secretary talked about a system reset. We have also heard the Minister's desire to shift left, and the Committee welcomes that shift to the left. However, we cannot shift services left with no additional funding provided to those in the community and primary sector.”
“We have been told in Committee that, by 2050, if something is not done, the Health budget will take up 80% of the overall Budget, so we need to fix the system. <BR /> <BR />The Committee agrees that action needs to be taken to address the inequalities that we are seeing in the provision of services. We are moving closer to a two-tier health system where, if you can afford to pay for treatment, you get it, but, if not, you go on a long waiting list where you may have to live in pain, present more often to your GP, present more often to emergency departments and, potentially, suffer worse outcomes. Therefore, at present, it could be argued that our system is making some people more unwell and that lots of our citizens cannot access the most appropriate services.”
“I welcome the opportunity to make some very short remarks on behalf of the Health Committee on the Supply resolution. I have spoken on behalf of the Committee in relation to the 2025-26 Budget and will do so again in the Budget (No. 2) Bill debate next week. <BR /> <BR />We are all aware of the pressure on our health system. We see the headlines every day. We hear the experiences of people in our constituencies who are struggling to access services and treatment, and we hear the evidence from our health and social care professionals who are trying to navigate a system that no longer seems to be working well. With an opening budget of £8·4 billion, the Minister of Health has outlined that an additional £600 million will be required to balance the books this year.”
“Paying the real living wage to all our care workers is good, not just for those workers and their families but for our economy, our health service and society as a whole.”
“<BR /> <BR />As a constituency MLA, one of the biggest issues brought to my office is that of families desperately trying to get appropriate care packages for their loved ones. As Sinn Féin's health spokesperson, I recognise that more domiciliary care staff are needed to ensure timely hospital discharges to relieve pressure on our hospital beds, hospital emergency departments and the Ambulance Service. A real living wage and proper career progression opportunities can only help to bring more people into the care profession and encourage those who are employed in that profession to stay there. That will benefit our care workers and improve our health service and, importantly, patient outcomes. <BR /> <BR />If we value our health service, we must value the staff who make it function.”
“<BR /> <BR />The living wage has a clear role to play in raising people's living standards. Evidence shows that fairly paid workers are more productive in their employment and that they and their families enjoy better levels of physical and mental health. I want to put on record my sincere thanks and genuine appreciation to all our care workers. The work that you do is invaluable, so, clearly, that value and appreciation must be matched by your pay and working conditions. Our care workers are the backbone of our health service, and a fair wage is crucial, not only to recognising the value of their work but to attracting more people into the care sector. The Health Minister must move swiftly to make the care sector a living wage sector.”
“Last week, I attended a very useful engagement, which was organised by Living Wage NI and Advice NI, on making a real living wage a reality for those who work in our care sector. <BR /> <BR />The real living wage must be the bare minimum for all workers, and Sinn Féin is committed to delivering that across this island. That can be seen in the Finance Minister, John O'Dowd, making the Civil Service a living wage employer as part of the latest pay deal, and in former Finance Minister Conor Murphy's ensuring that the living wage is now a requirement for firms that attain government contracts here in the North. Dr Caoimhe Archibald has sought to continue to make progress on improving the rights of workers, including their being paid the living wage, through the introduction of her 'good jobs' employment rights Bill.”