Paula Bradshaw
South Belfast · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“They were places where those who were vulnerable were concealed, young mothers were stripped of their babies and children were stripped of their identities. Let us be resolute in our remembrance of what happened behind the doors of those institutions.”
“At all stages, the Committee has set out its clear support for the legislation's overarching aims and principles, which are to establish a statutory public inquiry into the systemic failings associated with mother-and-baby institutions, Magdalene laundries and workhouses between 1922 and 1995 and to create a statutory redress scheme for t…”
“Again, I refuse to call them "mother-and-baby homes", for we now know that there was nothing homely about them. What the Bill can and must do is offer a tangible declaration that the state accepts its responsibility.”
“As Chairperson of the Committee for the Executive Office, I welcome the opportunity to speak at the Final Stage of the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill.”
“Key points were also made in relation to redress: the need to ensure that the Executive Office introduces clear guidelines for the scheme as soon as practicable; the need for the Executive Office to widely communicate and promote the scheme to all victims and survivors, including those who live overseas; and the need for the Executive Off…”
“The First Minister and deputy First Minister tabled a number of amendments that gave effect to the Committee's intent across a number of clauses. In several instances, the Committee chose to withdraw its amendments in favour of the Ministers' wording, where that better reflected the broader book of the law.”
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“As the deputy First Minister mentioned, the budget and the health service were not in a great way before the pandemic. What support will the Executive give to make sure that the budget is sufficient going forward?”
“I am sure that the last few months have not been easy dealing with this issue, so I thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their work. The document references the wider health impact and the phasing and reintroduction of the usual health and care services, yet there is no detail in the report. Are we to expect a separate report?”
“The Health Committee will have to play a pivotal role in monitoring in-year financial accounts to ensure that the reconfiguration process proposals are robust and transparent and that any associated costs represent value for money and will produce the desired improved health outcomes. <BR /> <BR />In closing, I place on record my appreciation for the work of those in the finance section of the Department of Health. 2019 was not an easy year, and it does not look as if this financial year will be any easier.”
“On the far side of the virus, the health service must be in a position not just to restore services but to make up for lost ground and address further pressures. That means not merely proceeding with the transformation process but hastening it. We have seen that changes in mode and place of working can take place quickly where there is strong focus and political backing. We must maintain that. To do that, we must embrace the need to include our front-line workers, allied health professionals, our charities and voluntary organisations and the many representative bodies in frank and realistic conversations about how best to meet the needs of our people urgently. <BR /> <BR />I am running out of time, so I will move to the end.”
“It is clear that the response of the Department in dealing with COVID-19 was necessary to protect the public and those working in the health service. However, on the far side of the crisis, we need to give greater priority to catching up on things such as tackling our waiting lists. In the medium and short term, I am sure that Members share my concern for the many thousands of people who have had their appointments cancelled, their treatment delayed and their ability to stay on their care pathway seriously disrupted. We will never be able to calculate the true cost of the pandemic not just on those who have so tragically lost their life to the virus but on those whose operations and treatment have been indefinitely postponed and whose conditions have, undoubtedly, worsened.”
“During a call yesterday in which some Members were involved with Chief Officers Third Sector (CO3), it appeared that details of that support are not yet forthcoming, which leaves them in precarious financial positions, as well as undermining their future sustainability. All the planning for the delivery of front-line services of individual transformation programmes and initiatives will now need to be significantly revised during this year. However, that does not mean that they are any less urgent. <BR /> <BR />The impact of the reconfiguration of health and social care services on non-COVID-19 care and treatment is significant, as highlighted by the British Medical Association (BMA) just this week.”
“<BR /> <BR />At this point, I want to raise the plight of charities and community and voluntary organisations, which have continued to provide health and well-being support across a range of conditions during the health crisis. Pages 67 and 68 of the Budget statement highlight that the Health Department is responding. It states that there is business”
“However, the wider health transformation agenda has, again, unfortunately, been seriously disrupted and delayed, just as the need for transformation has been demonstrated so clearly. <BR /> <BR />The COVID-19 pandemic has shown why systems are so important. It has, no doubt, thrown all financial planning for this year into disarray. It is worrying, therefore, that the allocation to date to the Department of Health to meet the challenges of coronavirus has been £205 million, despite its template response identifying that it would need between £508 million and £588 million of additional costs. I appreciate that that figure does not include the centrally held fund of £150 million for PPE. However, there remains a significant chasm between estimates of cost and allocation.”
“Quickly, however, it became apparent that the financial requirements for their implementation would not be met to the level required, and so departmental officials have been faced with identifying and allocating funding to meet those commitments, while dealing with other inescapable pressures across our health workforce, work streams and workplaces. Then, just as ministerial and Executive direction was beginning to give clear guidance on political priorities, the threat and then the reality of COVID-19 refocused minds and activity. I credit the Health Minister for his recent announcements outside the pandemic with reference to the first 300 undergraduate nursing and midwifery places, as well as his announcement about a mental health champion.”
“<BR /> <BR />This January, not only was the Health Committee to be re-established but we had the New Decade, New Approach deal to focus our energies on delivering for Northern Ireland. That deal contained many commitments and many proposals for much-needed change. Among those commitments were high priorities around dealing with waiting lists, reform of adult social care, the mental health strategy, palliative end-of-life care, three funded cycles of IVF and a new strategic direction for drugs and alcohol.”
“It was deeply frustrating for me, as the Alliance Party health spokesperson, that the much-hailed health transformation agenda that was launched in October 2016 had been taken forward during that hiatus exclusively by civil servants in a manner that they neither sought nor desired and that associated decisions on priority and the allocation of previous years of confidence-and-supply funding were being taken without scrutiny by the representatives of those elected to the Assembly from across our community. I am pleased, therefore, that the Finance Department has received an assurance from the Treasury that the £10 million for mental health will be available this year. I am sure that we all feel that is important as we move through and beyond the pandemic.”
“I extend my sympathies to the Dallat family. I met him a few times, and I always found him incredibly charming and very polite and courteous. <BR /> <BR />I rise on behalf of the Alliance Party and will focus my comments on health spending. Only a few short months ago, with the re-establishment of the Executive, we were all full of hope that the Statutory Committees would refill the three-year void in accountability and transparency around all aspects of our devolved Administration, not least with regard to finance.”
“Sometimes, that is the case, but even if someone cannot stay at home, they must be able to stay safe. Be they healthcare workers, shop workers or factory workers, their safety must be paramount and relevant adjustments made to their workplace and equipment in order to make that so. <BR /> <BR />Like others, I look forward to the day when we debate how we step down and move away from these regulations and lockdown. For now, we have to stick with the guidance. It is essential, therefore, that we ensure that the regulations are about both staying home and staying safe. That is our aim for us all.”
“We should also be aware that the regulations exist in the context of guidance from the Government which allows people with disabilities to travel for the purpose of exercise, as junior Minister Kearney said earlier, where there are specific requirements, including more than once a day. We must also recognise, however, that, for many residents who are still stuck at home, outside exercise is not suitable. They are missing their normal, structured daily activities. Unfortunately, their lives are being so negatively affected during the pandemic. We in the Chamber — I hope that Members will agree with me — give thanks to them and their carers for adhering to the stay-at-home regulations. <BR /> <BR />Lastly, the regulations are also clear that people should not have to leave home to work except where it is really necessary.”
“Some parents have contacted me — and, I am sure, others in the Chamber — who are in complete despair that their court contact orders are being frustrated. It is essential for children's well-being that the situation is not used as a legitimate mechanism by which to damage loving parent-child relationships.”
“However, again, the regulations very clearly and very rightly state at section 5(2)(j) that there is a reasonable excuse for travel for:”
“I also want to include in this group children who are being denied access to one of their parents. There is evidence that some people are exploiting the pandemic to frustrate court contact orders.”
“These regulations are about staying at home, but they are also about staying safe. If people are not safe in their home, they are entitled to seek support and to move somewhere safer under regulation 5(2)(m), which clearly states that a reasonable excuse for travel is:”
“The regulations are fundamentally about enabling social distancing, and we can say with some certainty that they are starting to work. That demonstrates that the vast majority of people are not only adhering to the rules but are respecting the urgency and severity of this pandemic that we are all living through. <BR /> <BR />I would, however, like to take a moment to recognise that there are many in our society who are legitimately struggling with the lockdown. I want to make it clear that these regulations are designed to help them. Prime among those struggling are those who are suffering abuse at home — children, women and men — and despite the PSNI, Victim Support and many voluntary organisations standing ready to intervene, communication with the outside world may be virtually impossible.”
“Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, I very much concur with your sincere words regarding our collective sympathies and thanks to those working to fight COVID-19. <BR /> <BR />On behalf of the Alliance Party, I will make a few remarks about the health protection regulations. I support them, though naturally with the reluctance that many of us in a liberal democracy feel. I want to emphasise that the aim is to stay home and stay safe. <BR /> <BR />The powers conferred allow our Ministers to respond proportionately to deal with all public health aspects of planning for and dealing with COVID-19. They are far-reaching and go beyond what we would normally be comfortable with, but the evidence clearly shows that they are necessary.”
“Committees, in particular, have never been more vital, and all must absolutely continue to operate, adhering to social distancing and using technology where possible. I share the desire mentioned by my colleague, Mr McGrath, that the sunset clause be moved to six months as opposed to two years. The delegated powers are there in the Bill for extension, if necessary. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, there is a monumental challenge ahead of all of us, but I have no doubt that the sense of community and determination for which we here are famed will see us through.”
“We have done it for the police and we must do it for all our health and social care workers, including those who provide house-to-house domiciliary care. Secondly, we have to recognise the provisions in the Bill around indemnity and always balance those with necessary safeguards. Sadly, many will be making extraordinarily immediate but complex decisions in circumstances that few of us can imagine. <BR /> <BR />As regards the Assembly, it has never been more important to be clear about how we perform our duties as MLAs. We need to ensure that we can scrutinise departmental performance fairly and constructively as the Bill's provisions are implemented, that we can ensure that safeguards are adequate and effective and that, most of all, we can support all those who need care and all the workers who provide it in every way that we can.”
“For example, we cannot ignore the impact of lockdown on mental health and well-being, enhanced in many cases by the amendment to the Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016. That will have huge resource implications, as an inevitable consequence of the situation will be significantly poorer mental health across our population. We will also need to be able to scrutinise the safeguards and decisions relating to any forthcoming deprivation of liberty orders. <BR /> <BR />As I conclude my remarks, I wish to express my support and admiration for our healthcare professionals and make some points. First, we know that in-hospital transmission is a significant issue. Never has "front line" been more meaningful. That means that we need to get on immediately with sourcing safety equipment for everyone.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Bill provides for supporting people, and I welcome the placing into law, with the appropriate clarification, that all those measure to provide immediate sick pay must apply in Northern Ireland despite our devolved welfare system. It is, of course, also essential that we protect food supply. <BR /> <BR />Clause 4 of the Bill extends prescribing powers for pharmacists, including those recently retired pharmacists who are returning to the profession in this emergency. Community pharmacies are taking necessary risks right at the front line and we thank them for their professionalism and commitment. <BR /> <BR />Right now, and going forward, balancing healthcare priorities will be a mammoth challenge.”
“<BR /> <BR />We are all glad and even relieved to see containment signed into law. That, too, is not without complications. It is fundamental, in a liberal society, that we can congregate in public, and we must recognise that we are temporarily suspending that right. We are also placing significant power and responsibility with a few people, none of whom ever really expected or wanted it. However, the objective here is to make clear what is required of the public and how that can be enforced. <BR /> <BR />I will now turn to the issue of dealing with the deceased. Many aspects of this entire situation are distressing and shocking, none more so than the emergency provisions that may have to be made for burials. We must ensure that emergency measures, while rightly planned for, minimise the impact on cultural or religious customs.”
“I wish to put on record my and my party's deep gratitude to all those who have stepped forward. <BR /> <BR />The clauses in the Bill that will make extraordinary changes to public administration are, in general, necessary to allow our front-line workers to focus on caring for our population. Focusing on our children's health, we may reflect, at this stage, on the extreme challenges for childcare in all senses. Education is being disrupted and childcare restricted and we need to ensure that the temporary provisions for looking after the children of our key workers is properly resourced. Let us work to ensure that children remember this time and this experience of being close to their loved ones fondly and do not have cause to remember the virus that brought it about.”
“<BR /> <BR />First, we recognise the need for particular officials to be able to direct people with COVID-19 or showing symptoms of it into quarantine. As we move into what we now hope will be the suppression phase, that will be more vital, given that we will only be able to lift the restrictions that have been imposed to slow the spread of the virus if we can isolate those who have or may have it and enforce that. It is also sensible that those rules are now common across the UK. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, the measures to bring back health and social care workers from retirement while protecting their pensions and to place medical, pharmaceutical, nursing and midwifery students prematurely into the workplace are extraordinary but will, sadly, be required.”
“We would have wanted, as many Members have said in the Chamber today, much more time for scrutiny and consultation, not least with those most obviously impacted and their representative bodies. However, it is a balance. These are extraordinary circumstances and they require extraordinary action. This is a Bill of last resort. <BR /> <BR />I wish to run quickly through the five Parts of the Bill, outlining our support and then raise some areas that we accept are broadly necessary but will require considerable care and caution. I pay tribute to officials in Whitehall and here at Stormont who have worked hard to assess the challenges of every change brought about by this Bill, with the array of consequences arising from them that have to be managed too, and also to the Executive Ministers who are all operating under incredible pressure.”
“I will start by placing on record my sincere condolences to the third family bereaved in the last 24 hours. They and all those families affected are in my thoughts. <BR /> <BR />I support the legislative consent motion on behalf of the Alliance Party Assembly team. I do so with some reticence in principle. Naturally, I regret the trying and already tragic circumstances of this motion and the significant strain that will be placed on our front-line and key workers over the coming months. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, it does not come naturally to us as democrats and as liberals to endorse a Bill that places such powers in the hands of the Executive, the judiciary and other officials. My party colleagues and I have significant concerns about some aspects of the Bill, even if amended. We have significant concerns about the evident rush behind it.”
“<BR /> <BR />Secondly, given the apparent lack of consideration among some young people about social distancing and the gravity of the situation, can one of your daily sessions facilitate questions from groups like the Northern Ireland Youth Forum and other peer groups? We might find that young people start listening. It is clear from some of the feedback and imaging on social media at the weekend that a lot of young people are just not taking heed of this.”
“I place on record my condolences to the bereaved families. These are very sad times, and I am sure that the passing of those people was gravely felt by the healthcare family. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the information that the deputy First Minister has provided regarding the self-employed and the efforts of the junior Ministers. That is great, so I have no need to raise it. <BR /> <BR />I have two things, Minister. First, you will recall how well received the sign language interpreter was in the Chamber, when your colleague, the Communities Minister, spoke about the Bill coming forward. Have you any plans to incorporate, notwithstanding social distancing, sign language into your daily statements?”
“Will the Minister outline the plans to be implemented by Translink to deal with COVID-19 to protect the health and safety of the public and workers and ensure that services continue to operate?”
“I thank the Minister for his work over the last week and beyond. I want to come back to an issue that you talked about around symptomatic healthcare workers. I was contacted by a constituent who is now self-isolating. He is very concerned about the number of healthcare workers that he came into contact with before his symptoms manifested themselves. As you know, front-line healthcare workers are given the flu vaccine to protect themselves, their colleagues and their patients. In the absence of a vaccine, do you think it would be beneficial that our front-line staff be tested, as a matter of course, at this stage in the pandemic?”
“My question has been answered, thank you.”
“<BR /> <BR />Given that the process of referral to the drive-through testing facility in Antrim has been working well, will the Minister outline his plans to extend that provision to other trust areas?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement and for all the work that he is doing along with his departmental officials and staff across the health and social care sector. Before I ask my question, I want to raise a slight concern. The Education Minister was speaking in the House a few minutes ago and said that legislation may be required to exclude children from places of assembly to prevent the spread of infectious disease. On 27 February, the Health Committee amended the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to bring forward those powers, so I ask the Minister to ensure that his Executive colleagues are aware that coronavirus and COVID-19 have been added to the list of notifiable diseases.”
“Minister, as a fellow South Belfast MLA you will be aware that, while pubs and hoteliers provide great benefits to our local economy, there is sometimes a downside. In what way are you engaging with councils around the renewal of entertainment licences as part of this process? As you know, sometimes they can contribute to the antisocial behaviour that falls out into our streets.”
“Minister, you talked about appropriate specialist healthcare. Will you outline what exactly that means and who is providing it? If this becomes a more serious issue, what will you do to ensure that there are adequate staff in place given the other pressures in the health service?”
“I was on the original bill of rights body in 2008 and met my husband on it, so one good thing came out of it. <BR /> <BR />What contingency will be in place if there is not that consensus? Will it then fall to the First Minister and the deputy First Minister to veto or agree the proposals?”
“At the heart of that, we must ensure that the funding received by the Civil Service is used not only effectively but efficiently. That is challenging, not least because of the long list of pressures that are queuing up to be met. However, while we need to stabilise our health service, which requires substantial funding, not least as regards reducing our scandalous waiting lists, we need to ensure that we deliver on that health transformation agenda. The next two years of this Assembly term will no doubt fly in, so we cannot delay the process any longer, not least through political populism or parochialism.”
“Again, the report showed that financial transactions capital was available — money that was allocated and available for loans, specifically for capital projects. However, millions of pounds are being sent back. My question is — I think that Paul Frew raised it as well — "Why is that money being returned? Why was there a gap in the conversation between the Department of Finance and the Department of Health?". <BR /> <BR />While I agree that a lot of these questions are not necessarily posed to the Finance Minister, who is here today, or even to the Health Minister, who has been in post only for a couple of months, we need to ensure that the changes that were promised in the New Decade, New Approach deal in how we do business here on the hill, especially around the Executive table, are realised quickly.”
“I totally agree, and we could bridge that gap with slightly over £20 million. That is not a lot, but it would make a big difference to the services that they provide in our communities. <BR /> <BR />Lastly, I want to look at workplace issues. One of the key recommendations in the Bengoa report and the resultant 'Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together' report was the establishment of multidisciplinary teams to support GP federations. That was a wonderful proposal, because mental health practitioners, physios and occupational therapists (OTs) would all be based in a primary care setting. That is great, but we have not seen a flow of funds to support the refurbishment or extension of GP practices.”
“<BR /> <BR />On the workload, the Select Committee on Northern Ireland Affairs highlighted in its report last autumn the urgent need to address the huge pressure on our community pharmacists, not least because so many of them have left community pharmacy and moved into practice-based pharmacy. While the protracted contractual negotiation is still ongoing, about three years later, with the Department of Health, we see in the Estimates that there is a net change in provision, under the heading of "Family Health Service — Pharmaceutical Services", of over £8 million. Again, how did that happen? I agree with my colleague Colm Gildernew, who chairs the Health Committee, that, while the report breaks it down into headings, we need more information on exactly what that money is being spent on in public services.”
“<BR /> <BR />At our Health Committee meeting on 13 February, we were advised that some measures had been put in place in this financial year to reduce costs. For example, the medicines optimisation programme will save £32 million in this year. However, I have no doubt that, at this stage, there is little fat left that can be trimmed. <BR /> <BR />If we look at the spring Supplementary Estimates — I refer to page 131 — in the context of workforce pressures, we see a downward movement in spending for the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency. I ask why that happened in this financial year. We know that there are huge pressures in training our staff, developing them and, most crucially, retaining them in Northern Ireland.”
“I support the motions, and I will make my comments specifically on health spending. It is well known that funding a health and social care service that meets the needs of our ageing population is becoming increasingly and incredibly difficult. Every day, in the media, we see a new story about the huge pressures on our system in terms of the workforce, the workload or the workplace. Before I reflect on those three areas in the spring Supplementary Estimates, I put on record my appreciation of the work of the civil servants with financial management responsibility during the three years of political impasse, be it through the Department of Health, the health and social care trusts or any of the arm's-length bodies.”
“Minister, the statistics and progress that you outlined for oral health are very encouraging. Last time, you touched on the key role that our community dentists can play. Given the growing pressures on our independent dental contractors, are you minded to review the current health service dental fees?”
“What will plan B be for the York Street interchange if the Minister is unsuccessful in securing the remainder of the confidence and supply money?”
“Does the Minister agree that all-ability amalgamated schools like Carrickfergus Academy deserve the same high-quality facilities as any other school? How will he deal with the financial pressures in his Department to ensure that there is capital investment across the Province?”
“Like others, I very much look forward to hearing what the Minister has to say. I commend the motion to the House.”
“The fact is that women are living longer and healthier lives, so it is right and proper that the proposal and programme that comes forward should reflect the NICE guidelines on access into those later years. <BR /> <BR />Amendment No 2, on the education and information programme similar to the Your Future Fertility programme, is a wonderful proposal, and I very much support it. It feeds very much into the need to empower young women to deal with all matters that relate to their sexual and reproductive health. <BR /> <BR />Like Colm and other Members who have contributed to the debate, I am conscious of what we have been told at the Health Committee; that, while the Health Department is very much in favour of this as a commitment, the train may come off the tracks if the budget, resources and workforce are not there to deliver it.”