Michelle O'Neill
Mid Ulster · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“We are shocked and deeply saddened for both the victim of the horrific incident in north Belfast and the people who have been impacted on by the disorder that we have witnessed since. There is absolutely no justification for racism, violence or intimidation.”
“It is the latest chapter in a political psychodrama. It has been playing out in Westminster for forever and a day but particularly over the past 10 years. Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of Brexit, which inflicted so much damage to the wider economy. We are now on the verge of having a seventh British Prime Minister in 10 years.”
“We cannot look at things in isolation. Whether it is the refugee integration strategy, the framework or the legislation, all those things need to move together and at pace.”
“I agree with the Member about the ugly language that was used to describe some people in our community. Like the Member, I have met many people from the black and ethnic minority community in recent times. I do that on an ongoing basis, but I did so recently given what happened over the last number of weeks.”
“There is not just one answer to it, as the Member knows. We need to come at it from every angle. That could be a policing response initially, for which additional funding was secured. I agree that this is the third year in a row in which we have had that type of racist behaviour on our streets. Likewise, I would describe it as a pogrom.”
“Building on that progress, the Executive Office is contributing £3·3 million towards the Derry on the North Atlantic Museum, which is due to open in 2027 and will further enhance Ebrington’s role as a heritage and tourism destination. <BR /> <BR />Ebrington is also continuing to develop as a vibrant events space.”
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“I believe that the best of that approach and other approaches can be adapted and even improved on in our integrated health and social care system. <BR /> <BR />I recognise the challenges in recruiting and retaining GPs, and, given the importance of building multidisciplinary primary care teams, I will increase the number of GP training places to 111 a year, with 12 additional places next year and 14 beyond that the year after. Building on the increase in training numbers made earlier this year represents an increase of more than 70% in GP training places within a three-year period.”
“Their focus will increasingly be on keeping people well in the first place and the proactive management of long-term conditions. They will be equipped to identify and respond to problems earlier, whether they relate to health or social needs. <BR /> <BR />The teams will include people from a range of disciplines, including GPs, pharmacists, district nurses, health visitors and social workers. I am also keen to explore new roles that are having positive impacts elsewhere, such as advanced nurse practitioners and physician associates. We need to be open to new ways of doing things, looking to approaches elsewhere, such as the model used in the Netherlands, where district nurses lead the assessment, planning and coordination of care in self-managed teams.”
“We must and will become better parents for those children. <BR /> <BR />When people need care and support, very often, their first port of call is their GP. Primary care is the bedrock of our health and social care system, but it is still largely based on GPs working independently, with limited input from other skilled professionals, such as district nurses and social workers. There are many examples of how we have improved that integration, but we must go further. People do not live their life in silos, so we should not provide services in them. I will invest in our primary care services. I will put in place multidisciplinary teams embedded around general practice that will maximise the benefits that can flow from our integrated system of health and social care.”
“<BR /> <BR />We will also strengthen the work of the existing network of family support hubs available right across the North, which show how community, voluntary and statutory organisations can work together to help families doing their best as they face the challenges of bringing up children. <BR /> <BR />Improving the life chances of children and young people is a priority for me, particularly of those children for whom the state has taken on parental responsibility, or "looked-after children" as they are known. Those children experience much worse health, social, educational and employment outcomes than children generally have. That is not acceptable to me. I will expand the range of placement options and support available to them to support their mental and emotional well-being, educational attainment and overall health outcomes.”
“We will help them to live the life that they want, maximising independence and maximising choice. <BR /> <BR />The early intervention transformation programme (EITP) is a good example of joined-up government, with the Department of Justice, the Department of Education and Department for Communities all working together to find ways of intervening earlier in their lives to improve outcomes for all our children. We will build on that success, including building the capacity of staff to work more effectively in delivering early intervention approaches.”
“That will allow them to develop the skills and knowledge needed and the assets required to tackle effectively the underlying determinants of health and well-being. Tapping into their ideas and energy, we will build on and support the real strengths that they have. We will support the development of thriving and inclusive communities. Through building community capacity, developing social capital and investing in health-visiting and school nursing, we can ensure that every child and young person has the best start in life and is supported to fulfil his or her potential. <BR /> <BR />We will support those who are more vulnerable in our society, those living in deprivation, our older population and those with learning disabilities and mental health issues.”
“<BR /> <BR />When care is needed, it should be safe and of high quality. Those who use services should be treated with dignity, respect and compassion. Staff are the system's greatest asset, and they must be empowered and supported to allow them to do what they do best. Put simply, I want to see a health and social care system that is efficient and sustainable, where best practice is the norm and where investment is made in areas that will positively impact on service users rather than prop up a failing structure. <BR /> <BR />My vision for health and social care is ambitious. It will require whole-system transformation across primary, secondary and community care, and a radical change to the way in which we access services. We will work across sectors to build capacity in communities.”
“<BR /> <BR />Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together provides a road map for radical transformation in the way we receive health and social care services. This is not a quick fix. Given the size and scale of the challenge, I fully expect that the transformation process will take two mandates to properly plan, implement and embed, but we must start now. <BR /> <BR />In line with the Programme for Government and the Executive's population health framework, 'Making Life Better', my overriding ambition is for all of us to lead long, healthy and active lives. Health is a human right, and I believe in a universal health service, based on need, free at the point of delivery. I want to see a future in which people are provided with the information, education and support to enable them to keep well in the first place.”
“If we continue to provide services in the same way, using the same current models of care, demand projections show that ten years from now the HSC will need 90% of the entire Executive Budget — that is 90% of the entire Executive Budget. <BR /> <BR />Since coming into post, I have spent much time listening to HSC staff and to users. Not only are they ready for change, they want change and they are demanding change. They are not alone. The political summit hosted by the expert panel secured a mandate for change and the principles that underpin it. We have a "fresh start", supported by the Executive — it is not down to one Minister or one Department. There is total agreement across the Executive that this needs to be done.”
“<BR /> <BR />Like Ministers before me, I continue to increase investment in front-line services and in service developments and improvements, and this has gone some way to alleviating the pressures the system faces and the consequences for those requiring health and social care services. However, this is not enough. Our current delivery models are having an increasingly negative impact on the quality and the experience of care, and they are constraining the ability of the system to transform itself to meet 21st century health and social care needs. There are excellent examples of innovative practice, but these are often in pockets and not widespread. <BR /> <BR />The reality is that the current model is unsustainable.”
“A simple illustration of this is that people who live in Belfast city centre will live up to nine years less than those living at the top of the Malone Road. We should all be deeply concerned by that. <BR /> <BR />Across the North, the proportion of babies born with a low birth weight in the least deprived areas is lower than that in deprived. Children born in deprived areas are more likely to experience childhood obesity and to be in care. It is an outrage that, in 2016, your life experience may be predetermined by your social and economic circumstances. This must change, and that change must start now.”
“When I addressed the Assembly in June, I spoke about the prevailing challenges that exist. By 2039, the population, aged 85 and over, will have increased by 157% compared with the position in 2014. Living longer is of course great news for us all, but, as we get older, we are more likely to live with one or more long-term conditions. In addition, our health and social care needs change, and we quite rightly have higher expectations. Our health and social care system needs to change if it is to meet the needs and the expectations of a growing population. <BR /> <BR />Health and well-being is shaped by many factors but above all by our social and economic environment. To our shame, the inequalities between health and social well-being outcomes across our society are stark. Where you live should not determine how long you live.”
“I promised I would reflect on the expert panel’s report and put my vision for health and social care before you, and today I am doing so. <BR /> <BR />I thank Professor Bengoa and the expert panel and commend them for their work. I received the report, 'Systems, not Structures' in the summer and since then have spent time carefully considering the report, its implications and the next steps. Professor Bengoa has told us that we need whole system transformation if we are to meet the needs of the population. The expert panel’s report, alongside the Sir Liam Donaldson and Transforming Your Care reports, has been instrumental in developing Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together. To be clear, Delivering Together is now the only road map for reform. <BR /> <BR />As I have said, the case for change is universally accepted.”
“The depth of the dedication, commitment and compassion of all those who work right across our health and social care system continues to astound me. <BR /> <BR />However, the system itself is at breaking point. This is not news. Every person in the North and everyone working in our health and social care system understands this to be the case. Put simply, the system has not changed quickly enough to meet the demands and the needs of the population. While not always accurate, reports of long waiting lists and failed targets feature regularly in the media. This is why, in my first week as Minister, I made a statement to the House acknowledging the challenges but, more importantly, pledging my commitment to transform health and social care.”
“Mr Speaker, having received Executive endorsement this morning, I am grateful for the opportunity to make a statement setting out my ambition for a world-class health and social care system, Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together. <BR /> <BR />As I have said before, and I want to put on record again, I am proud and privileged to be the Minister of Health. I am proud of our health and social care service. I am proud of the dedication, the commitment and all the hard work of all those working right across our health and social care system. I am proud of the quality of the full range of health and social care services people here receive from staff whose key focus is to improve our health and well-being. I have witnessed at first hand the amazing work of Health and Social Care (HSC) and the positive impact it has on people’s lives.”
“I apologise for the lateness of the statement. We had an Executive meeting this morning, and I endeavoured to get the statement into the pigeonholes. I believe that we did so at 10.00 am.”
“Initially, the overseas nurses are employed as healthcare support staff whilst they undergo the necessary stages to enable them to register with the British nursing regulatory body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This is a lengthy process that will take several months. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I wish to assure the House that I recognise that investing in the workforce is essential if we are to effectively address the problem of nursing shortages. The short, medium and longer-term measures that I have outlined will, taken together, get us back on track and secure our valued nursing and midwifery workforce now and into the future.”
“Initial pathways will be in the areas of emergency care and primary care, with paediatrics to follow. <BR /> <BR />In assisting to address the nursing shortages in the short term, my Department has commissioned the Business Services Organisation to provide regional oversight and coordination of nurse recruitment. A regional team was established in January of this year on a collaborative basis across all trusts. The international recruitment campaign has been progressing this year, with over 700 job offers made to nurses from Italy, Romania, Greece and the Philippines. The first of the European nurses arrived here in September, with more to follow in the coming months.”
“Education of the registered workforce directly impacts on the quality and safety of clinical services, and it improves patient outcomes through enhancing the knowledge and skills of nurses in front-line care. My Department has invested £8·5 million in the post-registration education commissioning budget for 2016-17. <BR /> <BR />I support the development of new nursing roles as the nursing profession seeks to respond to the challenges of healthcare delivery in the 21st century. I believe that our nurses are well placed to expand their roles and take on enhanced roles, blending doing so with the strong nursing values of care, compassion, dignity and respect. My Department has invested in the growth of an advanced nurse practitioner role and has commissioned Ulster University to develop and deliver this new programme from 2017.”
“Encouraging local students to work here on successful completion of their training is, therefore, an important recruitment strategy. Local nursing students in year 3 of their training are now being offered permanent band 5 posts by each trust when they qualify, in an effort to encourage them to stay. I am pleased to advise that we have well-established collaborative working relationships with our universities, and my officials are in regular communication regarding nurse education and commissioning matters. <BR /> <BR />I recognise the importance of investing in post-registration education and training to build the capability of our existing nursing workforce.”
“My Department has completed a 10-year nursing and midwifery workforce plan, and its implementation will be key to ensuring that we have an appropriately resourced and skilled nursing workforce to meet the needs of the population. The workforce plan makes a series of recommendations, including the need for a strategic approach to the supply and demand of nursing. It highlights the importance of making the North of Ireland a destination employer of choice by attracting nurses to work here and encouraging our students to stay here. <BR /> <BR />A shortage of band 5 nurses in particular is posing a significant challenge, with each trust investing heavily in time and effort to recruit nurses at this pay band in order to support the existing workforce.”
“A return to practice media campaign was launched by my Department in January 2016 to target this specific group of nurses and encourage them to avail themselves of the opportunity to return to practice and have their fees funded. Thankfully, a total of 83 nurses successfully completed the programme in 2015-16. My Department has since increased the number of commissioned places for the return to practice programme on an ongoing annual basis from 32 to 48 and will consider further targeted campaigns as necessary. <BR /> <BR />Workforce planning is an essential element of ensuring the sustainability of the future nursing workforce.”
“It is a successful way of growing our own nurses and supporting nurse retention. <BR /> <BR />I am aware of the huge pool of talent that exists among our healthcare support workers. I have increased investment in the various access courses designed for healthcare support workers that provide a route into the Open University preregistration nursing course. Investment in this group of staff can reap huge dividends in developing our own nurses and retaining them in our services. <BR /> <BR />My Department has also increased investment in the return to practice nursing programme delivered by Ulster University. It is designed to enable nurses who are out of practice and whose nursing registration has lapsed to re-enter the profession.”
“I am fully committed to supporting student nurses and midwives while they undertake their training. As I made clear to the House during questions on 18 October, I have ruled out the approach being taken in England: removing bursaries and requiring students to take on additional debt. The nursing bursary will continue in the North of Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I am very enthusiastic about providing a pathway into nursing for those already working in the HSC who wish to follow that path. In 2016-17, my Department more than doubled the intake for the Open University preregistration nursing course, which is a route that is funded for HSC staff, and more than 50 people commenced the course this year. The independent sector also utilises this route as a means of retaining staff.”
“Rectifying that situation will take some time. My Department has significantly increased investment in nurse education by commissioning an additional 100 preregistration nursing places at our local universities for 2016-17, giving a total of 746 nursing and 55 midwifery places. That takes our annual investment in nursing and midwifery to £27 million. I am giving consideration to further investment for 2017-18.”
“Furthermore, we are in the fortunate position that nursing remains a highly popular career, as we have no difficulty in attracting nurses into the profession, and I want it to remain that way. In each of the last three years, approximately 10,000 young people applied through UCAS to study nursing at universities, locally and elsewhere. There are in excess of 10 applications for each training position commissioned by my Department. When you consider those figures, combined with the low drop-out rate of less than 10%, I am sure that everyone in the Chamber will agree that attracting potential nurses into the profession is not a problem. <BR /> <BR />I share the concern that, in preceding years, investment in nurse education was reduced and, consequently, did not keep pace with workforce demands.”
“Furthermore, the implementation of my Department’s policy framework, Delivering Care: Nurse Staffing in NI, has resulted in a significant investment of £12 million allocated to trusts during 2015 for additional nursing staff for acute surgical and medical wards. <BR /> <BR />I am fully committed to local solutions, first and foremost, and I believe that investing in our local talent is strategically the right course of action, if we are to strengthen our existing nursing workforce and ensure its sustainability into the future. We are privileged to have a long-standing reputation of excellence in nurse training, and nurses educated here are sought after the world over.”
“It has therefore proven necessary, in the short term, to implement an international recruitment campaign in collaboration with HSC trusts in order to maintain safe staffing levels and meet service needs. I warmly welcome into the North of Ireland those talented and caring individuals from the Philippines, Italy, Romania and Greece who have been recruited through recent international campaigns and the contribution that they will make to strengthen our workforce. <BR /> <BR />My Department has continued to support the nursing and midwifery workforce through increased investment in resourcing the registered workforce. The numbers of registered nurses and midwives across the HSC have increased by 8% since 2011, which is an additional 1,076, giving a total headcount of 17,027 staff in our system.”
“However, my Department has plans under way and is proactively leading on a range of measures to address the nursing supply issues in the short, medium and longer term. <BR /> <BR />In the immediate term, I recognise that the consequences of past decisions to reduce investment in preregistration nurse education have come back to haunt us. Despite best efforts to recruit and retain nurses from anywhere on this island and, indeed, from Britain, there still continues to be in excess of 800 nursing vacancies in the system and a consequent reliance on bank and agency nurses. Nurses work in the HSC and outside it, and I am very aware of the difficulties faced by nursing homes to recruit and retain qualified nurses.”
“The evidence is clear that the number of graduate nurses has a strong effect on patient experience and outcome. <BR /> <BR />I share the concern expressed by Members regarding the challenge of nursing shortages impacting on our services. I wish to assure the Chamber of my commitment and resolve to address the problem. The situation we face reflects a nursing shortage on a global scale, which is impacting on the North of Ireland and across these islands. There are many other contributing factors, including increased demands on nursing services; demographic changes; the ageing profile of the workforce; increased patient complexity; new service models; and an underinvestment in preregistration nurse education since 2010. It is important to recognise that there is no single quick-fix solution to the shortage of nurses.”
“I very much welcome the debate and thank the Members for tabling the motion. It provides us with a timely opportunity to consider the issues we face with a shortage of nurses. I thank Members for their considered contributions throughout the debate. They all reveal a concern for and interest in nursing and midwifery that I entirely share, and I hope to respond to as many of the points raised as time allows. <BR /> <BR />I pay tribute, as other Members did, to the dedication and commitment of all our nurses, who play a vital role in the delivery of high-quality nursing care to our population across all sectors and settings. I greatly value and appreciate the work that our nurses do in the face of increased demands and the unique contribution they make to the lives of patients, clients and families daily.”
“All I heard was them sitting on the sidelines from the safety of opposition and not being prepared to take the hard decisions that need to be taken. The Executive are committed to taking the decisions and delivering better outcomes, and I think that that is a better outcome for all of the people who elected us to come in here and make a difference.”
“Delivering improved cancer services as part of a transformed health and social care system is a significant challenge, but it is one that we do not shy away from. It is one that we will face up to. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, a Cheann Comhairle, thank you for the opportunity to correct some of the mistruths and scaremongering that have been put out in relation to the motion. We should all concern ourselves with being constructive, delivering better outcomes and not trying to alienate and, I suppose, put pressure on the healthcare professionals who work day and daily to deliver better services. The Opposition's time would be much better used being constructive and offering alternatives, but I did not hear one alternative here today.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I have said previously in the House and during the debate today, I will announce my vision for the future of health and social care services next week. It will set out the kind of health service I want to see for our people. Success in this will depend on everyone. It will depend on us all here as politicians working together to put the needs of our people first and not seeking to protect special interests. Put simply, it will take political leadership. It depends on our excellent doctors, nurses, clinicians, technicians and other medical professionals. It will depend on the third-sector organisations that do so much to help in their own areas of interest. It will depend on our people too to get involved in shaping the services they want to see for the future.”
“The problems causing long waiting lists for cancer patients also affect every other part of the health and social care system. We have more people living longer lives, which is something that we should celebrate and be proud of, but it inevitably puts more and more strain on our health and social care services. We have no choice but to think again about how we deliver those services and to make sure that we make the funding that is available to us work hard to deliver the best possible outcomes for our people. That means radical transformation of all of our services, using the best clinical expertise to tailor services that are patient-centred. It also means giving renewed focus to areas like mental health that have not always been given the attention they warrant.”
“A growing, ageing population means that the number of people who will require cancer treatment in the future will continue to rise, with consequent pressures on health services. The ever-increasing number of new technologies and treatments for cancer, whilst good news in terms of early diagnosis and treatment, also contributes to those pressures. <BR /> <BR />The focus of the motion is on cancer services. The waiting lists are not good enough. Our people have a right to have the services there for them when they need them, and I will do everything that I can to make sure that that is the case. However, as Minister for the health service, I cannot pick one service over another, and nor can I prioritise one group of patients over another.”
“It is testament to the good work being done across our health and social care system to successfully raise awareness. The campaigns taken forward by the Public Health Agency can make a significant difference to the level of referrals in any one year. One recent campaign contributed to an increase in referrals from 13,225 to 16,312, and I think that that shows that there is a real, meaningful difference being made in relation to awareness. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I encourage all women who are invited for breast screening to consider attending.”
“<BR /> <BR />Of course, as I said, I recognise that our service is under strain and that the arrangements put in place to help the Southern Trust are short-term solutions. The problems that affect cancer services are the same as those that affect the wider health and social care service: the challenge of rising demands on services linked to an ageing population and the finite resources available to meet that demand. I have been making the same case for cancer and for all other health services since I took up office five months ago. <BR /> <BR />There was a 17% increase in the overall number of red flag referrals for cancer between 2014-15 and 2015-16. That includes a 25% increase in breast cancer referrals and a 21% increase in lower gastro-intestinal (GI) cancer referrals. Why did that happen?”
“<BR /> <BR />The Opposition talk about a "wider unprecedented crisis" in the health service and bandy about a figure of 392,000 people on waiting lists. At best, that figure is the product of a woeful misunderstanding of the statistics published by my Department; at worst, it is a mischievous attempt, once again, to scaremonger. The Opposition appear simply to have added up the waiting list figures for outpatients, inpatients and diagnostics, despite the fact that the published statistics warn against doing that. It is clearly stated on the publication. For example, 19,919 endoscopy patients are included in both the inpatient and the diagnostic waiting times. That is just one of many examples.”
“The number of patients treated for cancer has risen by 32% in the past five years. The latest comparative study of international breast cancer survival rates — I thank the Members who pointed this out earlier — show that the North has the best survival rate of anywhere in Britain and Ireland. Despite the increase in waiting times, we treat more people within the timescales than ever before. The five-year survival rate for women with breast cancer has improved over time, with survival increasing from 75% in the 1993-99 diagnosis period to over 80% in the 2005-09 diagnosis period. When adjusted for age and population change, the female breast cancer mortality rate has decreased by 1·3% a year.”
“It is easy for others to sit in the Assembly and talk about their anger; it is another thing to be on the front line delivering the services and putting structures in place to improve patient outcomes. These actions reassure me that our system continues to function, despite the picture painted by the Opposition. Of course, it is right to keep monitoring performance and to bring any problems to attention, but we do our health service and healthcare staff a massive disservice when we ignore the actions that they take daily to deliver their services. <BR /> <BR />The picture painted by the Opposition of our cancer services bears no relation to reality. They see a crisis that is "continuing to deteriorate", whereas, in reality, our cancer service is better than it has ever been. We treat more people for cancer than ever before.”
“<BR /> <BR />The issues in the Southern Trust highlight the challenges that exist across the system in maintaining acceptable levels of performance. That is why a workshop will take place on 26 October, bringing together breast cancer specialists from across the North to identify options for delivering a sustainable, high-quality breast cancer service for the future. I look forward to receiving the proposals put forward by the workshop and will ensure that they are given the priority that they deserve. <BR /> <BR />I pay tribute to the staff — I thank all Members who joined me in that — the management in the board and the trusts and, most of all, the doctors, nurses and technicians on the ground, who have come together to take action to improve the situation for their patients.”
“The board and the trusts have now put in place innovative solutions to work together to provide additional clinics to address the poor performance in breast cancer while maintaining safety for patients. In addition, the trust has extended its working hours, and that has facilitated the operation of a fourth breast clinic. It is early days, but there are signs that their efforts are having a positive effect. The latest provisional information indicates that performance in the Southern Trust has improved to 100%. I will continue to keep the situation under review, but I want to put on record my sincere thanks to all the staff and management in the Southern Trust and beyond who have worked so hard to recover the situation.”
“Whilst I can always take on board and fully understand any concerns that are absolutely genuine, the future of the health service is too important for one part of the system to be debated as a knee-jerk reaction or in the heat of the moment. Instead, I acknowledge that performance is not where we want it to be, and I want to work hard with partners across the system to make sure that everything that can be done is done to improve it. <BR /> <BR />The decline in performance was first reported to my Department in June this year. As soon as I became aware of the issue, I asked the board to work with trusts as a matter of priority to find ways of improving the situation for patients.”
“I am committed to working with all parties in this Chamber who are interested in that collaborative approach to address all these issues. I hope my approach will be reciprocated on all sides.”
“The final patient was a more complex case, and treatment did not commence until day 81. <BR /> <BR />This is not to try to downplay the seriousness of the situation, especially for those two patients who did not receive treatment within the 62-day target. While I am far from satisfied with the level of service, I want to acknowledge the sterling service that the trust’s clinical team provided for their patients and to show the public that things are not as bad as they may first appear. I want to reassure people at home who may have sick loved ones or may be unwell themselves that the level of care they will receive from the doctors and nurses here is second to none. <BR /> <BR />Of course, there are issues in the system.”
“Let me just get through my points, and if I can, I will give you some time towards the end. <BR /> <BR />Instead, my focus is on delivering everything I can to drive improvement and ensure that the high standards we set for our services are met. Twelve out of the 209 patients in the Southern Trust who waited longer than 14 days for a breast cancer referral in June were subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully, 94.3% did not have a cancer diagnosis. <BR /> <BR />All of the 12 patients with a confirmed diagnosis have commenced treatment. Ten received their first definitive cancer treatment within the target of 62 days, which means that the initial delay in diagnosis had no negative impact on their receiving treatment within a reasonable time. One received their first treatment at day 63, just outside the 62-day target.”
“<BR /> <BR />The recent underperformance in the breast cancer service in the Southern Trust is due to staffing issues. The trust has had issues in recruiting key surgical staff, and I am also sorry to say that the untimely passing of a senior doctor was a further blow. In that context, it is unsurprising that there was a significant drop in performance. It is so disappointing that politicians would seek to gain political capital from such circumstances. The Opposition should be ashamed of themselves. I am not interested in the Opposition's empty rhetoric of anger. It is empty rhetoric; it means nothing. I am not sure who that serves. Instead my focus —”
“It will provide radiotherapy services to 90% of clinically suitable patients in the north-west region. <BR /> <BR />I am particularly pleased that the new development at Altnagelvin brings a welcome cross-border dimension to cancer services, with some €19 million in funding coming from the South. This is a small island, and it is so vital that we work together as much as we can to pool resources, share experience and deliver the best possible outcomes for our people. <BR /> <BR />Meeting the challenges that have been posed by cancer will continue to be a key priority. I believe we have made great strides in tackling cancer and have seen significant progress in the past. I wish to see that progress continue, and I can assure Members that I will continue to give due consideration to the need for a comprehensive strategy.”
“Patients who are treated by professionals who specialise in cancer and work together as a team have a better outcome than those not managed by such teams. <BR /> <BR />There are five cancer units for the management of patients with more-common cancers and the provision of local chemotherapy services. Specialist radiotherapy services in the North are currently provided by the cancer centre at Belfast City Hospital, which opened in March 2006. The cancer centre will, next month, be supplemented by the £66 million investment in the new radiotherapy service at Altnagelvin. This is an example of my Department's commitment to delivering the best possible services to patients. The new radiotherapy service is a significant boost for our cancer service infrastructure.”