Pam Lewis
South Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Indeed, I thank her for the assistance that she, as Minister of Justice, gave my constituents Kathryn and Aaron McCollum following the tragic death of their much-loved husband and father. Her assistance was deeply appreciated.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. I very much welcome the amendment to the Justice Bill on this subject, and I thank my colleagues across the Chamber for the good work that they have done on it. What cost is the PSNI carrying for the seizure, storage and disposal of those vehicles? Is that cost creating a barrier to enforcement?”
“It progresses 18 recommendations from the independent review of charity regulation, with a focus on a more risk-based approach that promotes trust and accountability without placing undue burdens on charities.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak as a member of the Communities Committee at Second Stage of the Charities (Amendment) Bill. I thank the Minister and the Chair of the Committee for outlining the details of the Bill.”
“The public must have confidence that charitable funds are being used properly, that trustees understand their responsibilities and that there is effective oversight when misconduct or mismanagement occurs.”
“<BR /> <BR />I welcome the streamlining of accounting and reporting requirements. For small charities, administration can be a real challenge and burden.”
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Every one of 1,907 lines we hold for Pam Lewis, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 18 of 39.
“I thank all the Members for their contributions, including the Minister of Health for his response. Without a doubt, this threat to Northern Ireland's medicine supply is an issue that should be debated openly and honestly. I welcome the opportunity that we have had to discuss it. <BR /> <BR />I am sure that every one of us, when we talk to constituents, says that one of our highest priorities, if not the highest, is health. Our health service is the jewel in the crown of our Union. We all value that free-at-the-point-of-need service: in the past 12 months, more than ever before. It should always be a priority, because our health service keeps us well and saves lives. <BR /> <BR />Key to the success of our health service is access to medicines and medical devices.”
“Mr Speaker, with your indulgence, I take the opportunity to put on record my thanks to my friend the First Minister for her love of and commitment to Northern Ireland and for her dedication and incredible work ethic, not least throughout the past very difficult year. <BR /> <BR />Does the First Minister agree that the important work of the high street task force will need to continue well into the future, as the lengthy closures and the ending of the furlough scheme will have a long-lasting impact on our recovery?”
“We have a huge opportunity to make a real difference. I therefore hope that you will give my private Member's Bill the support that it needs when it finally progresses to its First Stage. It goes without saying that I absolutely support all the issues raised in today's motion.”
“The current situation is nowhere near good enough, and the autism community deserves so much better. Autistic children and adults are a vibrant part of our community. They are our friends, neighbours, colleagues and family, and they deserve to have the same rights, support services and opportunities as every other person in Northern Ireland. They certainly should not be at a disadvantage because they are autistic. However, the current system is letting them down, and it is up to us as public representatives to change that. We cannot keep turning a blind eye to those very real issues. It is not fair and it is not right, and it is up to us to make the changes and make a more inclusive society for everyone.”
“<BR /> <BR />Finally, with the latest autism statistics to be presented by the Department of Health over the next few days, the contents of the report will no doubt provide another wake-up call for us all.”
“Support for autism services also registered as a significant area of concern in the consultation, with over 94% of respondents stating that adult services, including for supported living, employment and emotional well-being were top concerns. The private Member's Bill will therefore have a specific focus on the provision of consistent adult autism services. <BR /> <BR />The evidence that was provided to the public consultation also reaffirms the issues that will be raised in today's debate and supports the need for greater consistency in assessment and post-diagnostic services across trusts. I hope that the private Member's Bill will have its First Stage in the very near future.”
“That is key to ensuring that targets are met and adhered to. That was reinforced in the public consultation, as 92% of respondents supported the need for an independent scrutiny mechanism. They believe that, for autism services, scrutiny, transparency and research are currently inadequate. <BR /> <BR />Another aspect of the private Member's Bill will be to introduce a cross-departmental autism training strategy. That was reinforced by 95% of consultation respondents stating that having accredited autism training, particularly in the areas of education and health and social care, would deliver better outcomes for the autism community.”
“The autism PMB will address the lack of accountability, independent scrutiny and transparency that has curtailed the potential of key elements of the current legislation. <BR /> <BR />Those issues were highlighted in the PMB's public consultation process, which attracted in excess of 1,800 responses back in October 2020. Indeed, that public consultation received more responses than any other legislative consultation on a private Member's Bill in Northern Ireland's history. That shows the level of concern in the autism community and among professionals over the need for legislative action to deliver a system that works for autistic individuals and their families. <BR /> <BR />The issues that are to be addressed in the private Member's Bill include the introduction of an independent body that will review the autism strategy.”
“From my own examination of what has unfolded since the Autism Act came in 10 years ago, it is clear to see that the autism strategy from 2013 to 2020 and the resulting action plans have failed. That failure is evidenced by the fact that only one out of three action plans was completed in the period and that there has been no independent review of its success, outside of the Department's internal reviews. <BR /> <BR />For that reason, and for all the aforementioned reasons, with the full support of the all-party group on autism, I have sponsored a private Member's Bill (PMB), the aim of which is to strengthen the Autism Act by introducing an independent scrutiny mechanism to drive forward the regional implementation of key services through the existing autism legislation.”
“<BR /> <BR />I put on record my thanks to the cross-party membership of the APG and give a special thank-you to Autism NI for the vast amount of work that it has done to date and for its continued provision of a secretariat to the group. Since the pandemic, the APG has continued to meet monthly virtually. In those meetings, we have learnt from Autism NI — a charity dealing with the current autism crisis on the front line — about the many issues that affect the autism community. Autism NI has repeatedly reported to the group that there needs to be better investment in autism services and that the current autism strategy is not fit for purpose. <BR /> <BR />From what I have heard in my constituency, I completely agree with that narrative.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. I completely agree. Without a doubt, it is a cross-departmental issue that needs much concentration across the entirety of government. <BR /> <BR />It was recently reported that, owing to the pandemic, 63% of autistic young people have stated that their mental health has got worse. Some 79% of autistic adults have stated that they feel socially isolated because of the pandemic. Two thirds of autistic young people have stated that they did not receive any support during lockdown. It feels as though that community is so easily forgotten about when it comes to remembering it at the most important of times. That is the reason that I have dedicated so much of my time to supporting our autistic community through my role on the all-party group on autism.”
“It has to be noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a particularly difficult time for our autism community. Some autism support services stopped completely during the period. The unexpected changes, such as the closure of schools and workplaces, has had a detrimental impact on anxiety levels and the emotional well-being of so many autistic people.”
“I also emphasise that the prevalence of autism is 37% higher in deprived areas compared with the Northern Ireland average. <BR /> <BR />I will read out a recent case example from a parent with two children who have a diagnosis of autism:”
“<BR /> <BR />From my consultations with autism families and autistic individuals over the years, I understand how important it is to access timely interventions and tailored supports. However, the only way to access those interventions and supports is through gaining a diagnosis. Many families and individuals feel that they have no choice but to seek a private diagnosis and pay for it themselves, which costs up to £1,400. With a private diagnosis, families and individuals can access supports straight away, while those on the NHS waiting lists wait for years for those same supports. Inevitably, that is causing inequalities in the Northern Ireland health system, and it cannot be ignored any longer. No family should be disadvantaged due to its economic status, but that is what the rise in private diagnosis is causing.”
“Current waiting times for an autism diagnosis are completely unacceptable. A complete overhaul of the current assessment process is urgently needed. It is hard to believe that some families are waiting for over two years to gain an assessment for their child and that some adults are waiting for up to four years. That is a complete travesty. There are disparities among the five trusts. According to the latest figures, the Belfast Trust and the Northern Trust have consistently had children and adults waiting the longest time for an assessment. On the other hand, the Southern Trust and the South Eastern Trust are able to provide an autism assessment within the recommended 13 weeks. Why is that?”
“At the outset, I thank the Members opposite for tabling today's motion. I trust that they and, hopefully, the whole House will be able to support the amendment, which seeks to build on and strengthen the original wording of the motion on such an important topic. <BR /> <BR />As chair of the all-party group (APG) on autism, I am deeply concerned about the many issues that face the autism community today. Since the Autism Act in 2011, it is true to say that things have got worse rather than better for autistic families and adults in Northern Ireland. Advocacy organisations such as Autism NI have worked hard over the past 15 years and have lobbied our Executive relentlessly. They report back to the all-party group on autism regularly about the lack of autism support services.”
“<BR /> <BR />We are in a much better place than many of us probably expected us to be, and while we seek to preserve much-valued liberty, let us also continue to do our bit in continuing to behave responsibly by following the basic precautions on hands, face and space in order to ensure that there is no going back but just going forward.”
“Care home residents and their loved ones have sacrificed so much in this pandemic, and we need to restore their rights. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, we need home visitation to be looked at once more. We need housebound family members or those who are single or are outside bubbles to be allowed the comfort of others in their homes once again. <BR /> <BR />One word that keeps cropping up is "loneliness". The company of others is vital in tackling loneliness, and I hope that we can see progress on that soon, as intimated by the First Minister.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is a matter of deep regret, frustration and even anger for some that businesses that have longed to reopen are now in limbo because of rigid rules on outdoor hospitality, for example. That is entirely unavoidable, but it needs a quick solution that shows understanding and support, not penalty and punishment. Those are not competing interests, they are mutual interests. <BR /> <BR />We need to do more to make progress on a couple of issues that I want to comment on today on behalf of constituents. One is visitation of loved ones in care homes and in hospitals, and, in particular, those for whom visitation will aid recovery from serious illness, such as stroke. With the vaccine roll-out in those settings being so successful, we must open up close-contact visitation to other family members as soon as possible.”
“They relate to the reopening of outdoor retail, extension of click-and-collect services to all non-essential retail, greater flexibility on gatherings in gardens and allowing those who are planning a wedding to visit venues. <BR /> <BR />We are fully supportive of those rule changes, and, in that vein, I am delighted that that direction of travel has been supplemented by the Executive's agreement on further changes to regulations. We need to reopen our economy as much as possible, and, in doing so, we need to engage constructively and in a timely fashion with those in business in order to ensure that, on this journey, communication is clear. There needs to be a clear public health message, and the end goal has to be clear.”
“We will never forget the entirety of our healthcare and care home staff, who have given so much to others throughout the pandemic. <BR /> <BR />Time has moved forward substantially since the regulations were enacted, and we have seen much progress on our pathway out of lockdown to restoring the personal and economic freedoms that we all want returned to society as soon as possible. I ask the junior Ministers to update us on any potential relaxations on the common travel area if they are able to do so. <BR /> <BR />The SRs reflect the two initial sets of relaxations from COVID restrictions, which took effect on 1 April and 12 April.”
“I start by praising those who continue to achieve remarkable success with the progress and roll-out of the vaccination programme. Many friends and constituents have relayed to me directly just how impressive the programme is, whether in community pharmacy or centres such as the SSE Arena or Seven Towers leisure centre in Ballymena, in my case. I thank everyone involved in this life-saving work. Let us remember that that is what the vaccine does: it saves lives, prevents serious illness and reduces transmission. I also argue that it encourages good mental health support. I urge all those in the younger age groups to think of others and to take the vaccine when it is offered to them. <BR /> <BR />Huge thanks must go to the staff and volunteers who are involved in the entire process.”
“<BR /> <BR />In finishing, I put on record my sincere gratitude to all members of our health service, the hospices, the charitable organisations such as Marie Curie and the other care providers that have looked after loved ones under the most difficult of circumstances in the last year. <BR /> <BR />Now is the time to drive forward a new progressive vision for improving and enhancing our end-of-life palliative care provision and support in Northern Ireland. That will take serious investment and health transformation, but we owe it to all of our citizens. I support the motion to include such a vital topic in our Programme for Government. Let us work together to ensure that we support everyone living with and affected by a terminal condition.”
“I therefore urge Ministers from all parties to make progress on that commitment, which was made to all of the people of Northern Ireland on the restoration of devolved government. <BR /> <BR />The pressures brought by the COVID-19 pandemic have caused much pain and suffering for many families. Many were unable to see their loved ones in their final weeks and days or, because they obeyed the Government safety restrictions on gatherings, pay their respects at funerals. End-of-life care should also have a strong focus on the families, who are often affected not only emotionally but financially.”
“We welcome the fact that more and more people in Northern Ireland are living longer, but we must recognise that, with that, many will face that point and need specific care, including end of life. <BR /> <BR />As the motion notes:”
“At present, health and social care trusts do not provide specific funding to provide the services needed to support those living with IPF. That creates unacceptable inequalities, as many cannot afford to self-fund services. People living with IPF should not fall victim to a postcode lottery whereby where they live determines the level of support that they receive. We can and must do more to ensure that people get the support that they need, particularly when their condition worsens and they rely on palliative care. <BR /> <BR />Although my focus today has been on that specific group, that in no way takes away from others who need the same support as they reach their end-of-life journey.”
“We heard about the real impact that it has had on her life: she had to stop working and has found the support available patchy at best. Pauline is lucky, however, because her condition was diagnosed early, and she is able to access some specialist support. For too many people across Northern Ireland, that is not their reality. With over 1,200 people living with IPF in Northern Ireland, it is a serious issue, and hundreds of people lose a loved one to the condition every year. People should be able to access specialist treatment where they live. <BR /> <BR />In 2018, the Department of Health discussed overhauling the way in which specialist services were provided for those with IPF, but little came of it.”
“As the condition worsens and the scarring of the lungs increases, symptoms such as coughing become more common and severe. Through the use of antifibrotic medication and specialist treatment and support, we can slow the development of more scarring, enabling people to live better for longer. After being diagnosed with IPF, the average person has a life expectancy of just three years. That makes it a more deadly disease than leukaemia and some forms of cancer. The only long-term treatment for IPF is a lung transplant. However, due to long waiting lists, many people, sadly, do not live long enough to receive that type of treatment. <BR /> <BR />Just recently, at a meeting of the all-party group on lung health, which I chair, MLAs heard from Pauline Millar, a South Antrim constituent of mine who is living with the condition.”
“I thank the Members who brought this most important issue to the Assembly Floor this morning. I particularly thank my colleague Joanne Bunting and, of course, Marie Curie for its campaign on the matter. <BR /> <BR />Every day, thousands of people, sadly, lose their life due to chronic and terminal illness. While many of those illnesses, such as cancer, get a lot of publicity, one condition that continues to fly under the radar is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a severe lung condition that scars the lungs and makes it harder to breathe. We do not know what causes the condition, and, at present, there is no known cure for the damage that it does to lungs. People living with IPF see their life turned upside down by the condition, with everyday tasks becoming impossible and exhausting.”
“I thank the Finance Minister for his statement to the House this morning. Can he confirm what funding will be allocated to the Department of Health in the June monitoring round? What additional funding can the Department of Health expect in the financial year to help with COVID recovery and to address the waiting lists?”
“Minister, we realise that the roll-out of the multidisciplinary teams is vital. As Mr O'Dowd has just said, it is very important to note that the pressure that GPs are under is much greater. That is primarily due to the switching off of healthcare appointments during the pandemic. Many of these calls and queries are from patients who have not been dealt with in secondary care. Given the disparity in access to GPs across Northern Ireland, what work is being done to ensure that GP access does not continue to be a barrier to early diagnosis of life-threatening conditions? Basically, Minister, what I am asking you is when we will see face-to-face GP appointments being made readily available to the public.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. The issues of drug and alcohol misuse have been ever more prevalent in society, and many people have concerns that, during the period of lockdown, substance misuse behind closed doors will have dramatically increased. The problem will have been further exacerbated by restrictions on, and withdrawal of, some support services for mental health and addiction. Will the Minister outline whether the Council will consider the importance of dual diagnosis services as part of its forward work plan? Often, the issues of poor mental health and addiction are intertwined.”
“<BR /> <BR />There is much to be done, but we must restore equality of care and access to treatment for those who are without COVID but face a threat to life and for those who are battling COVID. The Minister has my full support in doing that.”
“The emphasis on care at home and in the community, for example, is welcome. In equal measure, we would warn against large-scale reconfiguration of services without serious consultation with communities and professional bodies. <BR /> <BR />We also have to acknowledge the barriers to detection and diagnosis that have been presented by the loss of face-to-face contact. Surgeries have been at the forefront of the public health response. For many people, they will be the first port of call when they raise concerns about their health. There needs to be a clear framework and effective links between GPs and diagnostic or outpatient services in order to maximise early detection and referral of patients with suspected cancer and to ensure that services are accessible.”
“<BR /> <BR />We very much welcome the focus of One Cancer Voice on harnessing new ways to provide personalised and tailored cancer care to patients as part of the recovery. We need to draw lessons from the pandemic on what worked well and what could be done differently.”
“That means looking at how we train and equip our nurses, consultants, surgeons and anaesthetists and ensuring that such roles are attractive. When you speak to nurses on the front line in cancer care, you hear the stresses and pressures that they face daily. We need to look at staff numbers. We also need to ensure that the nurse banding of those in cancer care reflects their duties. Is it right that, today, band 5 nurses are asked to do what was the role of a band 6 or band 7 five years ago? No, it is not. <BR /> <BR />A specific issue that I want the Minister to look at is the continued closure of cancer units on bank holidays. Those holidays fall on a Monday, which can lead to undue delays in the treatment of those who are scheduled to attend on a Monday. That is deeply unfair and needs to be remedied.”
“The Minister must examine all resources in the health estate to take forward such plans in Northern Ireland, building on the existing day procedure unit at Lagan Valley Hospital, which has been operating as a COVID-light site <BR /> <BR />We recognise that the key to success will be transformation, and we recognise the need for strategic funding to provide the impetus. Cancer recovery needs more than a quick fix. It will require consistent and incremental financial backing, and the Finance Minister must take account of that. We owe it to our dedicated and skilled Health and Social Care (HSC) staff to look urgently at workforce planning and give them the additional support and resource needed to reduce in-work pressures and maximise capacity in the health service.”
“<BR /> <BR />In Northern Ireland, we are blessed to have world-leading cancer experts: consultants, doctors and nurses. We need to ensure the swift return of those professionals to front-line cancer care as soon as possible from deployments elsewhere in our health service. We need a more sustainable approach to retaining time-dependent surgery and procedures that, if left for a protracted time, will become critical. Central to this is that we need safe spaces. COVID-free centres already exist in England. Such centres could act as hubs for the treatment of cancer patients while other facilities continue to treat those with COVID-19.”
“The Minister also announced that progress continues to be made on the cancer recovery plan, which we all hope to see published soon. <BR /> <BR />Macmillan Cancer Support, in its briefing on rebuilding cancer care in Northern Ireland, made three core recommendations. First, there must be a cancer recovery plan that delivers additional, sustained capacity to address the backlog and prioritises a regional approach and recurrent investment in oncology and haematology services to ensure that cancer care can be rebuilt. Secondly, Macmillan calls for a fully funded cancer strategy that delivers a shift to integrated personal care and provides an effective recovery package for people living with cancer. Lastly, it recommends long-term investment in a workforce plan that creates a sustainable cancer workforce to meet current and future demand.”
“<BR /> <BR />I put on record my support of the Health Minister, Robin Swann, on his announcement of £10 million for the cancer charities support fund. For many local charities working with patients and families affected by cancer and mental illness, that funding represents much more than a recognition of their efforts during COVID-19; it will provide a vital lifeline for continuing that critical work during the recovery. The pandemic has had a deep and personal impact on those diagnosed with cancer. While the overriding priority must be scaling up diagnostics, treatment and surgery, the investment in areas such as psychological support and palliative care will help countless families living the reality of this terrible illness every day.”
“<BR /> <BR />While we can recite figures all day, we must remember that each statistic represents a family — a mum, dad, brother, sister, son, daughter, granda, granny — a friend, a community leader, a loved one. Many families have lost loved ones to cancer in the last 12 months. It has been a difficult experience. Diagnoses, sometimes terminal, have been given to people who were all alone and were denied visits in the aftermath. From diagnosis to surgery to results to chemotherapy, this is too much to do alone. Children have faced cancer treatment on their own, too tired or sick to talk to family on iPads. We need to restore compassion in our cancer care as we restore the full suite of interventions available to medical professionals.”
“Since the start of this year, the number of patients with suspected cancer has dropped by 76% at Altnagelvin Area Hospital and 26% at Craigavon Area Hospital. Those with suspected lung or prostate cancer have been disproportionately affected, with over 40% reduction in detections since January. Over 70% of breast cancer referrals recorded in January were deemed to be urgent. The 95% and 100% targets for patients starting initial treatment or being seen by a specialist were unmet. A particularly stark statistic is the figure suggesting that 4,630 urgent red-flag procedures were cancelled between March 2020, the start of the pandemic, and January 2021, which is the highest in the UK.”
“I am sure that few Members will not have been contacted by a family impacted by the cancellation of cancer treatments during the pandemic. I have had many heartbreaking moments in the past 12 months speaking to those living with cancer and facing an uncertain treatment plan, a last-minute cancellation of surgery and the reality of a worse prognosis because services had been withdrawn or delayed. Today, I endorse the call by One Cancer Voice to address the crisis in cancer care that affects those in our constituencies and communities. <BR /> <BR />I do not use the word "crisis" lightly or as an exaggeration: the statistics prove it to be just that. Since March, cancer detections have dropped by 15%, with a shortfall of around 1,400 patients.”
“We ask Members to support the amendment. Good law is clear law. Effective law is law with clearly defined scope.”
“It is also important that we consider other dangerous, unregulated and unqualified pseudoscientific forms of treatment, counselling and healthcare for all manner of things, many of which have no foundation in any religious beliefs. <BR /> <BR />Let me be clear: I do not believe that members of our LGBT community should be fixed or cured. I might not agree, but I recognise that there are those with deeply held religious beliefs on sexuality who have differing opinions on how someone should live their life. The DUP wants to see progress on banning conversion therapy. Those appalling practices that still pervade our society today must be defined and made illegal if they are not already. We are committed to not just any legislation to ban conversion therapy but the best legislation — legislation that is fair and evidence-based.”
“Some Members disagree with our amendment because they want the ban to cover religious settings. Others object because they do not feel that the motion covers religious settings in the first place. That highlights the ambiguity that exists without clear definition. The motion does not account for a complex legal landscape of competing rights, including freedom of religion and freedom of speech. It was for those very reasons that legislation in Germany was restricted to treatments in healthcare settings and for minors. That is why our amendment encourages the Minister to consult widely with affected stakeholders on plans for legislation. We want legislation to be ambitious and effective, but that cannot happen with unclear and sweeping definitions of conversion therapy.”
“There is a risk that such ambiguity, if translated into legislation, would criminalise legitimate activities or conversations. We simply want to avoid unintended and unjustified consequences. Therefore, we need to nail down what activities we seek to deal with not just to safeguard activities that cannot be reasonably be deemed to be harmful or coercive but to give the best protection to our LGBT community.”
“Those and some other forms of so-called conversion therapy should never be allowed to harm our loved ones, friends and neighbours ever again. <BR /> <BR />As a party, we are firmly opposed to those forms of coercion and manipulation, because they do not respect human dignity. As a result, we are supportive of an appropriate response to prohibiting unsafe and coercive practices, including through legislation. However, we are concerned about the absence of any clear or evidence-based definition of conversion therapy in the motion.”
“At the outset, I thank the Members who tabled the motion and state that I am in full support of a ban on the dangerous practices of conversion therapy in Northern Ireland. My party believes that discrimination against someone on the basis of their sexual orientation is wrong. We are all created equal and should be treated as such. No one should ever be forced into treatment for being gay. <BR /> <BR />I share the grave concerns of many Members at the various abhorrent practices that have been promoted under the umbrella of conversion therapy in the past and those that sadly still exist. Those have included electroconvulsive therapy, enforced isolation, aversion therapy, food deprivation, hormone therapy and hypnotherapy.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. The announcement of a cohort 3 recall is a saddening but necessary step towards ensuring patient safety for those who may have been affected under the care of Dr Watt. My thoughts are with the individuals and families involved in that horrendous experience. <BR /> <BR />The Minister mentioned a redress scheme to provide compensation to those who are entitled to it. Does he have any indication of the scale of resource required to provide redress to all those who have been affected, and when does he anticipate that such a scheme will be ready to open?”