Robin Swann
North Antrim · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for his detailed statement. I know how passionate he is about the subject and how many times he has brought it to the Executive.”
“It has been reported that today will potentially be the warmest day of the year. As we move into the summer and our summer holidays, I want to raise public awareness of wildfires across Northern Ireland, which have been detrimental to farmland and our environment over the past number of years.”
“Wildfires are still having a detrimental impact on our environment and, occasionally, on livestock, but that reduction shows the impact of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service's proactive approach to educating the general public and engaging with rural communities and schools on its fire safety message, which is to stay alert, not…”
“There has been a lot of talk of sport in this place over the past few days, with everybody concentrating on UEFA. One sport that is going on across Northern Ireland at the minute is cross-community and goes across all age groups without fear, favour or distinction: pigeon racing.”
“I want to put on record that, since this place passed the amendment that recognised pigeon racing as a sport under the 2016 Act, over the past five years, pigeon racing clubs across Northern Ireland have been able to obtain £113,000 of rates rebates through the sports and recreation rate relief, allowing many of those clubs to continue ra…”
“There was much coverage on social media over the weekend of an incident in Staines in England, in which a police car rammed a young calf to bring it under control. It has restarted the conversation about animal cruelty. <BR /> <BR />I am dealing with a specific case in my constituency.”
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“I thank the Member for his kind and public invitation. Because it is kind and public, I can hardly say no, so yes, I will.”
“It is about making sure that people are directed to the right place at the right time to be seen. That is the challenge that we face in the use of health resources in general, especially as we enter a busy winter period. I encourage people to make sure that they access health services at the appropriate place and time and help us to look after them.”
“When it comes to additional pressures, they see an increased number of people presenting to them, and those people are getting turned around more quickly if they are seen at the right place at the right time. We also see that from the introduction of our Phone First model, which has been rolled out across a number of departments as part of the response to the No More Silos plan.”
“The injuries that are being treated at the minor injuries unit at Ards Community Hospital include cuts and grazes, sprains, strains, sports injuries, limb injuries, bites, stings, burns and the removal of foreign bodies from ears, eyes and noses. Up until this month, the Ards minor injuries unit treated almost 1,500 patients a month. The consolidation of the two units still covers a large number of patients.”
“I thank the Member. The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust has informed me that it has analysed the data on attendances from Bangor area postcodes at the Ulster Hospital emergency department. There has been no increase following the consolidation of the minor injuries units in Ards. The South Eastern Trust has done that work. The trust is confident that patients receive an effective service and has received some positive feedback on the service at Ards minor injuries unit. It is nurse-led. Emergency nurse practitioners provide expert advice to ensure that clinical practice and patient care is delivered to the highest standards. They are accountable for assessing, diagnosing, advising, treating and discharging patients and for providing high-quality specialist care.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, which is responsible for the Bangor minor injuries unit, has advised that the consolidation of the Bangor and Ards minor injuries units on the Ards Community Hospital site remains under continuous review as part of the trust's plans for rebuilding services. Owing to the ongoing impact of COVID, however, the trust is not able to provide a definite date for the reopening of the Bangor minor injuries unit at this time. Despite being unable to confirm when the Bangor minor injuries unit will reopen, the trust has provided assurances that patients continue to receive appropriate care in the Ards minor injuries unit, and feedback from patients has been favourable.”
“To those employers, I say this to those employers: please do not do that, because those individuals worked for you during the qualifying period and are entitled to the payment as much as those who are still working for you.”
“I thank the Member for that point, because we will get queries about those individuals as well. There is no reason why the initial employer should not make an application, apart from an unwillingness to do so. That is our preferred way in which to do it, because that employer holds the data on how many hours the person worked, where they worked and for how much they are eligible. The application should be made through the original employer. <BR /> <BR />I have also been made aware of a small number of circumstances in which an employer does not want to go through the processes almost out of spite, because an individual has left.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Although most of the questions have been on the independent care home sector, the sector that the Members mentions accounts for over 1,500 employers, and we expect claims to come from there. We have already received 145 valid claims from that sector. I encourage those employers to get applications in as soon as possible so that we can get them processed.”
“The challenge with people who have changed employers during the eligibility period or with those who worked for one employer through the eligibility period and now work elsewhere is that their identification and application for the payment have to be cross-referenced. It is becoming more challenging. They will be part of the second tranche. I cannot guarantee that they will be paid before Christmas, due to the gathering of that information, but we are working with trade unions and employers to make sure that the process is as seamless as possible and that, when we capture the data, it is auditable, because we are conscious that it is public money. We want to get it into as many people's pockets as we can as quickly as possible.”
“Having to pay tax and National Insurance on the £500 is frustrating. That was raised by the Scottish and Welsh Administrations, and we got support from the Minister of Finance in putting forward an ask on that. As I said in response to Mr McGlone, we have already paid out over £1 million for applications that have come forward. When people get the verified data to us, we will process it as quickly as we can. The Member said that there were 33 days left, but there may be an opportunity for two pay packets, because the December pay packet, for those who are paid monthly, comes earlier. We are doing our best to meet those commitments.”
“The £500 has always been indicated as being a payment that will be according to the number of hours worked. That is what makes the submission of claims from the independent sector more challenging. We have time sheets and the ability to verify that data for those who work in the Health and Social Care system, but we require that additional data to come forward for those in the independent sector so that we can verify the spend and payment, which is public money. It is a pro rata payment, and the £500 payment is for full-time employment.”
“We are processing claims as soon as we get the information.”
“However, in recognition of that, we have already started the process, and, as I indicated, 247 claims have already been submitted. We have already paid out more than £1 million. The time frame for getting the payment into individual pay packets depends on the data coming forward in a reckonable and reconcilable format because the process is subject to audit.”
“The Member referred to 10 months and the machinations. From the initial announcement, I had to bid to the Department of Finance for the moneys. There were then additional queries and requests to make sure that the £500 would not be susceptible to tax liabilities. Again, we worked through HMRC and the Department of Finance. However, that guarantee could not be provided, and another bid had to be initiated to the Department of Finance to make sure that additional moneys were paid to the employers so that recipients received as near to the equivalent of the £500 as possible. That is where a lot of the time was taken. <BR /> <BR />Furthermore, the payment processes for the independent sector proved to be more complicated than was originally envisaged and by comparison with the system for our own staff.”
“<BR /> <BR />As of this morning, I confirm that 247 claims have been submitted to the payment shared services. Of those, 129 have already been opened and are progressing through the various stages of prepayment checks. That figure includes 46 suppliers that have responded to the payment shared services request to submit sample P60s. Of those suppliers, payments have been made of £1,041,855.39, and that is in recognition of 1,675 individual employees. I remain personally committed to ensuring that the recognition payment will be paid to the independent sector staff as soon as is practicable.”
“<BR /> <BR />Further to the initial letter on 29 October, my Department wrote again on 12 November to provide additional clarity about the data to be shared, which took recent data protection advice into consideration. Employers are required to complete and submit claims no later than 30 November. As expected, payments will be made by the Business Services Organisation (BSO) within a maximum of four weeks after receipt of a verified claim that is accompanied by the correct background documentation to support the payment process. Where staff worked for an independent care provider during the qualifying period, whether for the full qualifying period or part of it, it is that provider's responsibility to ensure that a claim is submitted and to make subsequent arrangements to pass the payment on to the relevant individual.”
“Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 1 and 14 together. I ask for a bit of additional time. <BR /> <BR />Special recognition payments for health and social care statutory sector employees were paid in July. As I have previously said, delivering the payment to those employed in the independent care sector has proved to be a complex and more challenging issue. I confirm that progress has been made on making the payments to those who work in the independent sector. On 29 October, a letter was issued to all independent sector care home and domiciliary care providers who are registered with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), inviting them to identify their qualifying employees. The letter provided details of the eligibility criteria and how employers should claim on behalf of their staff.”
“Doing that will not only help keep you, your family and others safe but undoubtedly help you play your part in keeping our society and economy open and reducing the pressures that our health system faces as we move towards the time of year during which pressure on our health service and its workers increases. I commend the regulations to the Assembly.”
“7) regulations removed the requirement to wear a face covering when eating or drinking, not seated, in an indoor setting or when dancing in an indoor venue. <BR /> <BR />Each of us must continue to keep our guard up against the transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19. We must also follow the public health advice and the Executive's guidance in order to help reduce the risk of transmitting the virus between us and to allow people to gather more safely in settings that would otherwise be considered high-risk. Both personal and public responsibility are required as we step our way out of restrictions. I take this opportunity to urge everyone to continue to make safer choices and to follow the public health advice.”
“18) regulations, which commenced on 31 October 2021 and made the following changes: people are no longer required to be seated in hospitality premises, which applies to pubs, cafes and restaurants, as well as theatres, concert halls and other indoor venues, enabling people to stand whilst eating, drinking or watching a performance; indoor dancing is permitted; the requirement to maintain social distancing in hospitality settings has been removed and moved to guidance; and nightclubs are permitted to reopen. The regulations also removed the requirement for a ticket to be purchased in advance of an outdoor event, which aligns with the position on indoor events. <BR /> <BR />The wearing of face coverings regulations were made following Executive agreement on 21 October 2021. The amendment (No.”
“I now turn to the regulations being debated today. SR 2021/292, the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 18) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021, was made on 28 October 2021. The second set of amendment regulations, SR 2021/291, the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment) (No. 7) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021, commenced on 31 October 2021. <BR /> <BR />The first set of regulations for debate is the amendment (No.”
“In the meantime, our health service will continue its efforts to deliver much-needed health and social care services, especially to our most vulnerable citizens. Our vaccination programme continues to offer us the best way forward. I urge everyone to get their vaccinations and boosters as soon as they are able to. That will boost immunity, reduce virus transmission and help us all get through the winter in a safe and enjoyable way.”
“For that reason, Ministers have agreed to introduce regulations making mandatory the requirement for COVID status certification to enter certain events or settings. Members will know that I have stated on many occasions that I want to see only mitigations that are proportionate and necessary to control the risk of transmission and to prevent the Health and Social Care (HSC) system from becoming overwhelmed while enabling life to continue as normally as possible.”
“Therefore, whilst it is not inevitable, if the current trajectory of increased cases continues, we may once again face the possibility of venues being asked to close their doors during the Christmas season. Let me be clear: it is not inevitable, and I do not want to have to reintroduce further restrictions unless that is completely unavoidable. However, I am disappointed that some in our hospitality business sector have not acted as responsibly as the Executive had hoped when the rules on social distancing were removed at the end of October. <BR /> <BR />Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, you and Members will be aware of the escalating pressures being experienced across our trusts, particularly in the Southern Trust, and additional measures are now required.”
“Today, the House is considering two statutory rules that were introduced following decisions of the Executive taken on 7 October and 21 October. Again, I lead on behalf of the Executive. <BR /> <BR />As a result of the amendments, nightclubs reopened for the first time since March 2020, and social distancing requirements were removed from the legislation. When taking the decisions, the Executive issued guidance, as they did for the large events sector, that premises should make use of COVID status certification in a voluntary capacity. The large events sector, for the most part, complied with the guidance, but, unfortunately, from the Executive COVID task force reporting, we have not seen the same level of compliance from some in the hospitality sector.”
“<BR /> <BR />I acknowledge the comments that Members have made. Given that there are no objections to the amendments that have been brought forward, I propose that they be accepted.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mrs Erskine acknowledged the importance of the work at even a local level, where we currently are and the challenges that are in front of us. This piece of work started under Minister Hamilton in 2016. We have got here now, but the rest of the transformation that we need to do cannot, and should not, take that long. We need to move at a pace that is in keeping with the changes that we need to make in our health and social care system. <BR /> <BR />I thank Órlaithí Flynn for her continued engagement on our substance use strategy and the mental health strategy, and for bringing community organisations to engage with my departmental officials and trust officials. That shows the benefits that AIPBs can bring to the structure of Health and what it should be doing so that we really make the changes that can be brought about.”
“This is what legislation looks like. It is heavy work and heavy going. Mrs Erskine, Ms Ní Chuilín, a number of other Members and I recognise the heavy workload that is in front of the Health Committee as we move to the end of the mandate, but it is all very important work. It is all legislation that will be heavy going and will not grab headlines. It will not keep a lot of people up at night, apart from us and the people whose lives will be changed by that legislation. That is what it is about. It is about delivering legislation and change that does not always come with a headline or a media announcement. I thank the Member for the acknowledgement and recognition of the Committee staff and the work that has been done. It is about having a collaborative approach and working with my departmental officials.”
“<BR /> <BR />That leads to Ms Ní Chuilín's point about the benefits that come from the Bill. I know what she said, but I also welcome the Member's detailed scrutiny of the Bill and the issues that she raised at Second Stage. She will know me well enough to know that, when she raised those questions, I would get the answers and ask why. After the Committee deliberated on its amendments and worked in conjunction with my departmental officials, the amendments have come from me, as Minister, because they are the right thing to do. It is about the building bases approach, as the Member identified. It is what this place should be about when it comes to legislation: co-working and co-challenge. It is not always about Members coming in here to grab a headline. The "L" in MLA stands for "legislative"; that is what we are meant to be about.”
“As I have outlined, it is important that we take a staged approach to how we transform, plan and manage our services. The first step of closing the board streamlines our structures and reduces bureaucracy. Staff will continue to undertake the same functions as before. Building on that first step, the Bill also includes a duty for my Department to establish local bodies in the form of area integrated partnership boards. Those local bodies will be key to the development and success of an integrated care system, which will be underpinned by a population health approach. That integrated care system model will look to promote collaboration and partnership working across sectors and traditional organisational boundaries to identify and remove any barriers and unnecessary bureaucracy in our system.”
“<BR /> <BR />With regard to Mr Chambers' contribution, today's commitments recognise that it is through the partnership approach between the Department and the Committee, working in conjunction with Bill Clerks, Committee staff and my departmental officials, that we have got to where we are today. Paula's contribution was about the wider precepts of the Bill, as well as acknowledging the benefits that these practical amendments brought. This is the Consideration Stage. This was the opportunity for further amendments to have been proposed by not just me or the Committee but individual Members. However, as Ms Ní Chuilín recognised, the concerns that were raised did not transform into amendments that could have been discussed or debated here today and changed the Bill. <BR /> <BR />There was a question about decentralisation and bureaucracy.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mr McGrath mentioned the cost savings that will be brought about by this and said that, while those savings may be minimal, this is not solely about the financial cost but about the streamlining and the transformation of our health service. He went on to list a number of areas in my Department that are still not funded. I say to that Member that, if his Minister had got her way with her £76 million bid at the last monitoring round, a lot of what we are currently doing would not be funded. A call has to be made somewhere about asks and realisations of where money is being spent, considering the last monitoring round was mostly Health Barnett consequentials from Westminster.”
“It is good to see that we are making progress on this. It would have been very wrong to park this legislation, considering so much work had been done and so much engagement had been carried out in the background while we were going through a pandemic. Many organisations would have found it a slight and an insult had we stopped and parked this work, especially the work on the transformation in local engagement. <BR /> <BR />When Mr McGrath opened his contribution by talking about the loss of local input, I thought that he had missed the importance of the area integrated partnership boards, but he went on to acknowledge that they were there. I think that we needed to have that engagement with the Committee about the transitional period while we got those into place.”
“That has shown the value and importance of that engagement process, but it has also shown where the integrated care system and AIPBs could be in bringing forward what could be transformational local input. <BR /> <BR />As regards comments from the Deputy Chair and others around the House about work, I note that this legislation started in 2015. Ms Erskine referred to that. It was continued under Minister O'Neill and, finally, has been brought to fruition by me. I could use the phrase "Success has many fathers" or "Success has many mothers", but, when other Members talk about the waiting lists and challenges that we have, I do not often hear them say that they were Minister at that point in time. It is about where we take the work that is progressing now. It is about how we take that work forward.”
“The amendments tabled today will therefore allow the continuation of local commissioning groups until such time as regulations are laid on the new local area bodies, which will be known as area integrated partnership boards and will be at the heart of the integrated care system. That amendment also provides the legislative basis for bringing forth those regulations. Members referred to that as well. <BR /> <BR />The Chair noted that nine groups engaged with the Committee about the Bill and the next session. When we went out to targeted consultation on the draft framework that was going to underpin this model, we received over 120 responses, which shows the importance of the integrated care system for Northern Ireland.”
“From some Members' input, it sounded as though local input was being done away with completely, but Ms Flynn acknowledged that, if we get area integrated partnership boards right, they will add real value, structure and local input to what we do — possibly more than LCGs added in the past. That matter was responded to during the consultations, as well. The LCGs committed a very important piece of work, because local input and intelligence have always been key components of our planning process and are the underpinning principle of the new ICS planning model that my Department has consulted on. <BR /> <BR />I have, however, taken account of the Committee's concerns about the loss of the legislative provision for local input while the work on the new planning model develops.”
“I turn to a number of comments of Members in the debate today. I note that there is no objection to the amendments that we have tabled. The Chair had a query regarding where we are with local input and engagement, and many Members raised LCGs and the transition to area integrated partnership boards.”
“I thank all of those who contributed to the debate today on the amendments. As I said, the amendments have been developed as a consequence of my Department's consideration and co-working and co-production with the Health Committee and the Health Committee's scrutiny report to address the issues that have been raised in full.”
“<BR /> <BR />Amendment No 6 maintains the Safeguarding Board's duty, which is included in the Safeguarding Board Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, to advise local commissioning groups on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. <BR /> <BR />The final amendment, amendment No 7, adds new schedule 1A, which provides for retention of the local commissioning groups' functions and memberships. It also includes provision for extending membership beyond an initial six months following the closure of the Health and Social Care Board and at intervals of twelve months thereafter, should that be necessary, and provision for disqualification and replacement of local commissioning group members in line with the provisions of existing regulations.”
“Amendment No 4, the first of the three, retains the necessary provisions of section 9 of the 2009 Act to require that the local commissioning groups have regard in the exercise of their functions to improving the health and well-being of people in their area. With the exception of the omission of now redundant references to the Health and Social Care Board, there is no other amendment to section 9. <BR /> <BR />Amendment No 5 retains paragraphs 8 to 11 of schedule 1 to the 2009 Act, on the Health and Social Care Board, insofar as they relate to local commissioning groups and their members. The paragraphs include necessary provision for Standing Orders, validity of proceedings and disclosure of interests by members.”
“<BR /> <BR />The proposed amendments have been drafted with the intention of ensuring that the power to make regulations adequately reflects the aims and objectives set out in the draft framework of the integrated care system (ICS), on which there has recently been consultation, and the continuing duties of the Department, as set out in the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009. <BR /> <BR />Amendment No 3, which amends clause 6, is a technical amendment that provides for local commissioning groups to continue beyond the closure of the Regional Health and Social Care Board and the commencement of schedule 1A, which includes the provision for the closure of local commissioning groups. <BR /> <BR />Amendments Nos 4, 5 and 6 amend schedule 1.”
“These groups will remain in place and continue to operate until the Department can bring forward legislation for new area integrated partnership boards. <BR /> <BR />Amendment No 2 inserts new clause 2B, which sets out the duty on my Department to bring forward regulations to establish bodies for local areas that will be known as area integrated partnership boards. It also includes the high-level functions, duties and responsibilities of the area integrated partnership boards that may be prescribed in regulations and a power for the Department to give directions and provide guidance to the boards.”
“Having listened to those concerns, I have tabled seven amendments to be debated that reflect the detailed scrutiny that has been carried out by the Committee and my Department's consideration of the Committee's report. <BR /> <BR />Amendment No 1 introduces new clause 2A, which relates to the continuation of local commissioning groups beyond the closure of the Health and Social Care Board and also introduces new schedule 1A, which contains specific provisions for the functions and membership of continued local commissioning groups and provision for their dissolution. It ensures that the local commissioning groups that were appointed under section 9 of the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009 can continue to exist beyond the closure of the Health and Social Care Board.”
“Maybe it was apt, Mr Speaker, because the amendments were drafted in conjunction with the Committee on issues that it raised with the Department of Health. The Chair or I could equally have moved them at this stage. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Health Committee for its detailed scrutiny of the Health and Social Care Bill. I am pleased to be able to open the debate on the Bill, not least because the closure of the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) was first announced some five years ago. The objective of the Bill is simple: it is to facilitate the closure of the Health and Social Care Board and transfer responsibility for its functions, in the main, to my Department. However, the Committee raised concerns.”
“I know that some Members agree with my view on where Assembly authority should lie. However, on the regulation of healthcare professions that extend across the entirety of the UK, it is appropriate for public safety and the effectiveness of proposed future reform that legislation be taken forward through Westminster. <BR /> <BR />I commend the last of the three LCMs to the House.”
“I thank the Members who contributed to the debate. <BR /> <BR />On the assurances that the Chair sought, I point out that the legislation that regulates the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland is the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976, which falls to the Northern Ireland Assembly. That is why it sits outside the motion. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Deputy Chair for her comments about her support for the work that was done by my officials in bringing forward the motions. I also thank the Health Committee for taking the time to examine the legislative consent motions and for its helpful and positive engagement with my Department's officials on the matter. I appreciate the Committee's work, patience, understanding and cooperation, along with the support of my Executive colleagues.”
“<BR /> <BR />I hope that Members will support the additional provisions of the Health and Care Bill, as these amendments ultimately seek to improve patients' safety. I ask Members to support the motion.”
“The Government, with the full engagement and support of the devolved Administrations, are committed to bringing forward the reform of the regulatory framework for the health and care professionals provided on a UK-wide basis. The first priority is to update the legislation governing the General Medical Council and widen the scope of healthcare professions that are currently regulated by that body, which is currently limited to doctors, to include physician associates and anaesthetist associates. Given the UK-wide reach of the National Health Service and the movement of many healthcare professionals across the various healthcare administrations for education, training or delivery of care, it is vital that Northern Ireland is fully included in the process to reform the regulation of healthcare professionals across the UK.”
“<BR /> <BR />In March 2021, the UK Government published a further consultation, entitled 'Regulating healthcare professionals, protecting the public'. That document sets out proposed reforms to regulatory bodies' legislation in four key areas: governance and the operating framework; education and training; registration; and fitness to practice. It also committed the UK Government to consulting on the criteria for considering whether health and care professionals should be regulated in the UK. <BR /> <BR />The powers in respect of the regulation of healthcare professionals that are now being pursued in the Health and Care Bill form a part of that broader reform programme.”