Colm Gildernew
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I have been working with Dungannon Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It will welcome this work, particularly in light of its concerns about vacancy and protecting the retail heart of towns such as Dungannon.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, you said that there has been an improvement. However, recently, there were reports of over 1,400 patients waiting more than 28 days. How will you ensure that trusts consistently meet the targets for suspected cancer appointments in particular?”
“However, the Committee will want to examine carefully how any new or amended powers would operate in practice. Powers relating to information sharing, official warnings, directions, removal from office and disqualification can have significant, long-standing consequences for charities, trustees, staff, volunteers and, indeed, public confi…”
“<BR /> <BR />The regulations are consequential to the uprating order and provide the supporting technical changes needed to ensure that the revised benefit rates operate correctly. The regulations increase the earning limit for carer's allowance from £196 a week to £204 a week.”
“In response to those findings, Minister Hargey introduced the Charities Bill, which was enacted in 2022. The legislation put in place many of the review's priority recommendations in the limited time remaining in that mandate. The Charities (Amendment) Bill represents the next stage of that reform programme.”
“The Committee will wish to explore the implications of those changes, including for organisations operating across jurisdictions or delivering charitable activity in or from the North. Our charity sector includes a diverse range of bodies.”
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“We absolutely need to support families through this process, to ensure that diagnoses and appropriate support are provided at the earliest opportunity and that services are provided consistently across all trusts. <BR /> <BR />At its meeting on 16 September 2021, the Committee was briefed by the sponsor of the Bill and representatives from Autism NI on the principles of the Bill. During that briefing, there was discussion about the prevalence of autism here in the North, which has the highest prevalence rate in the world. As the Deputy Chair said, there is a rate of one in 22 children with autism in our community. The sponsor outlined that, by and large, this Bill will implement and improve the previous Autism Act from 2011 and that it will introduce the appointment of an autism reviewer.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee is aware of the problems in the system with regard to helping families to get diagnoses and support as children go through education and into early adult life. Over the past year, the Committee has received correspondence, from groups and individuals, outlining the difficulties that they have and that it seems that there is a postcode lottery for the time taken to get a diagnosis and support. We have heard from individuals that they have had to go private to get an early diagnosis to try to get support as early as possible. Many studies have been completed that show that early interventions help and that early behavioural interventions can ensure that children learn life skills and coping mechanisms that will equip them for life in mainstream education and into adult life.”
“I welcome the opportunity to make some initial remarks on behalf of the Health Committee, outlining our consideration of the Bill, before speaking as my party’s health spokesperson. <BR /> <BR />This private Member’s Bill is relatively short, as Pam Cameron mentioned, with five key clauses and eight in total. As its sponsor has said, the Bill has three policy objectives: to enhance the autism strategy by strengthening the consultation process and the collection of data; to provide autism training for staff of public bodies, including setting out details of an autism early intervention service and autism information service; and to require the appointment of an autism reviewer to review the Department of Health’s functions in relation to autism.”
“Briefly, as Sinn Féin's health spokesperson, I reiterate the fact that staff on the front line are indicating severe levels of distress. I do not think that I have encountered that degree of pressure on staff in all my time as an MLA. I ask people, at a minimum, to abide by the restrictions and do everything that they can to ease the pressure on services. I reiterate the Minister's call and ask everyone who is eligible and can take the vaccine to come forward and do that. I also ask that the Minister consider those wider pressures with regard to everything that we are doing. We must support the staff and control COVID in a way that allows staff to function and provides them with the support that they need at this difficult time.”
“<BR /> <BR />Following the briefing, the Committee agreed to recommend that all the health protection regulations be approved by the Assembly.”
“The Committee would also like to see further work undertaken on monitoring compliance with the rules and asks the Minister to consider what monitoring could take place to further inform modelling moving forward. <BR /> <BR />Following the briefing, the Committee wrote to the Department to request that, at future briefings on such regulations, in addition to the officials who draft the rules, officials who are able to provide information and answer members' questions on the evidence underpinning the rule changes should attend. That would include the impact of the rule changes and the broader policy context for the changes and would assist the Committee to better understand the rationale for the changes being made and to be assured that learning from the changes is being captured in order to inform action going forward.”
“Those remarks relate to the impact of the regulations that we are discussing. As the Minister outlined, the rules are the outcome of Executive agreements over the past number of months and include a number of restrictions being eased. <BR /> <BR />During the briefing session, members voiced their frustration at the lack of evidence provided to the Committee to enable it to consider how the Department advised the Executive and of the probable impact the easing of the restrictions would have on the transmission of the virus. The Committee would like to see that learning from the last 18 months has been captured, communicated, understood and implemented and that that learning is being used by the Department of Health to inform the Executive on future decisions.”
“<BR /> <BR />I pay tribute to every one of the Health and Social Care (HSC) staff who are doing their utmost to provide patients with the best possible care. However, it is up to us all to ensure they have the support they need to continue to provide the best possible service. The Committee has again called for an urgent summit to be convened by the Minister to include professional colleges, unions, trust chief executives and political leaders to address and act on the growing concerns of those at the sharp end of the pandemic. <BR /> <BR />The Committee was briefed on the regulations at its meeting last week.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have seen reports in the media and heard reports from staff at first hand that there are significant problems and shortfalls in the system. It is concerning when we hear reports of cancer surgeries being delayed and calls going out on social media for additional staff to provide cover and for staff to come back from much-needed and well-earned leave to help with the pressures that the system is encountering. We even heard last week of someone waiting for over five days in accident and emergency for a bed. We all thought that we were through the worst of the pandemic. However, staff are under increasing pressure at this time, and the system does not seem to be able to cope. All that is happening as we face into what could be a difficult winter.”
“I will make some brief remarks as Chair and then some comments as party health spokesperson. First of all, I offer my condolences and those of the Committee to all those who have lost family and loved ones since we last debated coronavirus restriction regulations at the end of June. Every one of those is a personal tragedy for those families and a huge loss. <BR /> <BR />It is frustrating that we continue to see a high number of cases reported daily and the number of deaths continuing to rise. Over the summer recess, the Committee was reconvened on two occasions to be briefed on the rising number of cases and the work that the Department is undertaking to support staff through what was and continues to be a difficult period for those on the front line.”
“It is up to us to do the right thing and to deliver for Dáithí and all those other people who so badly need and will benefit from organ donation.”
“That was our second informal meeting as Chair and Deputy Chair. I will point something out. I brought the drawing I have in my hand down with me today. It was pinned up on my noticeboard. It is hard to make out, but it is a drawing that Dáithí did the day he was in the office. Of course, when we were talking about organ donation and all the rest of it, all Dáithí wanted to do was to get on with living Dáithí's life. The picture is of Dáithí's favourite footballer, who happens to be Mo Salah. I am not sure how much of that is Dáithí's input and how much is Seph's, to be honest, but I do not want to put Seph under pressure. I will just highlight that Dáithí Mac Gabhann is a wee man who needs a heart, but all he wants to do is to get on with being Dáithí Mac Gabhann.”
“It is regrettable that there was a delay from the DUP to bringing the Bill forward, and it is also hugely regrettable that the threat to the Assembly could impact on the outworking of the Bill and on progressing it. The reference to the Bill having been brought to an advanced stage and then not coming through demonstrates the danger of not taking the opportunity to move forward on important issues. We all, as individuals, have a responsibility to talk to our families and loved ones about soft opt-out donation as an everyday occurrence and to normalise the practice so that each and every one of us has an understanding of the importance of signing up to be an organ donor. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I will return to the meeting that was mentioned that Pam and I had with Dáithí, Maírtín and Seph Mac Gabhann.”
“This is Assembly politics at its best, where all of us, who are elected to this body, are doing exactly what the public say they want. The soft opt-out organ donation option is widely supported across our communities. I pay tribute to all the families that have campaigned for the measure for so long. Their dignity in, sacrifice for and unselfishness on the issue, which is so urgent to many of them, is to be commended. They never lost hope, and, at the end of the day, this is their accomplishment. Their determination and hard work have brought us to this point. <BR /> <BR />Soft opt-out organ donation will save the lives of our families, loved ones and friends.”
“That was due in part to the very significant and heavy legislative schedule the Committee will have over the coming months. The Committee is disappointed that this Bill and other Executive Bills were not introduced sooner, providing the Committee with additional time to undertake its scrutiny role. It is frustrating that the Committee is in a position where it is considering very significant Executive Bills and private Member's Bills in a time-limited manner. Provided the Bill passes Second Stage, the Committee looks forward to engaging with stakeholders and to scrutinising the Bill in further detail. <BR /> <BR />If I may, I will make a few short remarks as Sinn Féin spokesperson for health. Sinn Féin welcomes and supports the Organ and Tissue Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill.”
“We discussed questions around whether they felt that this proposal would increase the number of donors, how medical professionals discuss the issue with families and how we can promote organ and tissue donation in our communities. We received a wealth of information from that event, and it was clear that those individuals and groups were supportive of the proposed changes. We look forward to continuing engagement on the legislation, and we encourage people to respond to the Committee's consultation. <BR /> <BR />The Committee agreed to go out to consultation following the Bill's introduction at First Stage in July.”
“<BR /> <BR />During the briefing, members asked a number of questions about the impact of similar legislation in other jurisdictions; the definitions in the legislation and how the Department planned to outline how definitions will be agreed; the role of educating under-18s about organ donation; and how exemptions will apply to particular groups. <BR /> <BR />As I mentioned earlier, last week, the Committee held a stakeholder event to seek the views of those who have benefited from organ donations in the past and of groups that support donors and recipients of organ donations. The event was very well attended by stakeholders and Members.”
“The Committee wrote to the Department to outline the importance of publishing the outcome of that consultation as soon as possible. The Committee welcomes the Department's publication of the analysis of responses on Friday. <BR /> <BR />The Committee was briefed by officials at its meeting on 9 September on the principles of the Bill. The officials provided members with some of the statistics on organ donation and the reasons why the Department is introducing the legislation. The officials also outlined the various exemptions that would apply and how the Bill proposes an extension to the existing duty to promote and inform the public about deemed consent and the individual's right to opt in or opt out of deemed consent.”
“<BR /> <BR />On Wednesday evening, the Health Committee held a stakeholder event with many who have gone through the transplant process and those who worked to support them. We gained valuable knowledge, and it was brilliant to hear the first-hand experiences of people who had significantly benefited from a transplant, including some of the difficulties that they faced. I thank those who took part in that engagement, and special thanks go to representatives of the Patient and Client Council and the Assembly's engagement team for facilitating the event. I will mention later some of the discussions that we had. <BR /> <BR />As the Minister indicated, at the end of last year, the Department ran a consultation on the proposed legislative changes. The Committee was informed that there was broad support for these.”
“<BR /> <BR />One of the first informal meetings that the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee, Pam Cameron, and I had was with young Dáithí Mac Gabhann. Dáithí and his family have played an important role in getting this legislation to the Assembly. They deserve massive credit for putting the issue in the headlines and for being such great advocates of organ donation. I am keenly aware of many others who have played a part in bringing this legislation forward, and I thank them for their advocacy and promotion of organ donation. They include Jo-Anne Dobson, formerly a Member of the Assembly, and Fearghal McKinney and the British Heart Foundation (BHF), who have campaigned vigorously on this issue over the years.”
“I welcome the opportunity to make some initial remarks on behalf of the Health Committee. I will outline the Committee's consideration of the Bill before speaking as my party's health spokesperson. <BR /> <BR />As the Minister outlined, the Bill aims to change the statutory framework for organ and tissue donation in the North to a soft opt-out or deemed consent system. The policy objective is to increase the current rate of consent in the small number of cases in which it is clinically possible for organ donation to proceed after a person's death. Organ and tissue donation is, as the Minister said, a very important and emotive issue. It really is a matter of life and death for our families and communities. If the Bill passes Second Stage, the Committee will welcome the opportunity to scrutinise this very important legislation.”
“Minister, thank you for your answer. Given that the construction of those facilities is not optional and is, indeed, a requirement of the Withdrawal Act, will you update us on what legal advice you have received on their construction?”
“Our hospitals are currently operating at 104%, and we have not yet seen the full impact of winter flu and all the other pressures that exist and that we know will come to bear. Patients, staff and the public deserve better from the Assembly and political leaders here. Political leadership is needed now more than it has ever been. Many people believe that collapsing this institution at this time would be irresponsible, reckless and unforgivable. I ask the party opposite to take care and to consider those matters at this time.”
“<BR /> <BR />The threat to collapse the Assembly is the outworking of the DUP's delivery of a Brexit that everyone, including many people here, stated was not in our interests. It is the outworking of internal politics in the DUP and, indeed, the fact that it has been spooked by others outside the party into knee-jerk reactions and threats of this nature. People are also asking whether this is a vanity project by the DUP leader in order to create a vehicle to get him into the Assembly. If that is the case, will one of the gentlemen opposite make way for his leader and allow him into the Assembly without creating the chaos, uncertainty and inertia that will flow from this threat? <BR /> <BR />A Cheann Comhairle agus a chairde, we are heading into one of the most difficult winter periods that we are ever likely to see in our health service.”
“We are in the midst of a public health crisis. In many ways, we are at the height of that crisis. Yesterday, health trusts appealed for staff to come in from their leave to help man our hospitals and other health services. We have other health trusts asking people to use other services rather than turn up at emergency departments, given the pressures that they are experiencing. Those staff, who are being brought in from much-needed breaks, have been fighting and struggling with the pandemic for over 20 months. They do not have the option of walking away. Rather, they are walking into our hospitals. They are donning PPE and going in to fight to save lives and protect health.”
“I raise the issue of the importance of the sustainability of these institutions in the context of the ongoing public health situation that we are dealing with and the threat to collapse the Assembly from the DUP leader, Jeffrey Donaldson.”
“I am picking up on the Member's reference to the fact that the Minister has a lot in her in tray and a lot to deal with at present. He also mentioned grandstanding. Will he agree with me that it is crucial that the Assembly and the Executive remain focused on dealing with these issues rather than engaging in reckless grandstanding outside of the Chamber today?”
“The Department of Education and the Public Health Agency must now work together at pace to deliver a safe education system for our children, for those who teach and support them in our school communities and for wider society. Sinn Féin will continue to provide that leadership —”
“It is appropriate that we are here to discuss the situation, to reflect that concern and take actions to deal with it. <BR /> <BR />Critically, we urgently need a decision on the availability of vaccines for the 12-to-15-year-old cohort. This week, data showed that the highest percentage of individuals testing positive were aged between 10 and 14. An informed decision is needed on the vaccination of those younger cohorts. The Minister of Health should look at the experience of other countries, including the South of Ireland, France and Germany. This week, 'The Irish Times' reported that the vaccination of younger cohorts is linked to the downward trend in positive COVID-19 cases. The Minister also needs to look at advice from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”
“We need to avoid uncertainty and recklessness. It is clear that there is a huge amount of concern among the people who are watching this debate.”
“As we work our way through the pandemic, our schools and our communities deserve the support and best efforts of those of us who are charged with the decision-making that impacts on the lives of everyone. We must remain open to all possible solutions. We must also look to best practice around the world to see what is working for others and not doggedly follow poor decision-making where we could be doing better. I believe, and have believed all along throughout the pandemic, that we should be using the undoubted talents and skills of our population and workforce to lead across this island and the world in what we are doing and not wait and follow anyone, because time is not on our side when dealing with a virus of the nature of this coronavirus. <BR /> <BR />Decisions therefore need to be made: this is crunch time.”
“My child was sent home as a result of being a close contact, and, on the day that he was sent home, I could not book a test any closer than Antrim or Randalstown. That is the reality that has to be grappled with. We also have children returning to school with a negative test, even though they have been in close contact with a positive case. <BR /> <BR />As referenced by my colleague Nicola Brogan, we see no evidence of investment in the ventilation that we know, and have known for a long time, is needed in school settings. Regrettably, we see no evidence that any learning has taken place as we head into the twentieth month of the pandemic.”
“The Department of Education and the PHA have apparently wasted that valuable time and space, and they have failed to do what was so obviously and badly needed. <BR /> <BR />The Department of Health's own modelling informed us of the scenarios that we could expect at this point and of what measures would be needed in order to open schools as safely and effectively as possible. Instead, we have a situation in which school principals have been asked to carry out contact tracing. That has taken up huge amounts of their time and created huge anxiety. We also have children being sent home with suspected COVID symptoms who cannot get the PCR test that they need close to their home. Parents are therefore required to drive long distances to access the needed and anxiously awaited test. I have direct experience of that.”
“<BR /> <BR />This week, I have been inundated, as, I am sure, have other Members, with letters and phone calls from principals, teachers and parents who are in a state of disbelief that the Department and the agencies tasked with preparing schools for education in the COVID age have failed to do so. I share that sense of disbelief that the summer months, and, indeed, the months preceding the summer months, were not used to put in place the apparatus that we knew would be needed to facilitate a smooth start to the school year. We owed our teachers and students that much, following the insecurity that they had endured throughout the months of the pandemic. The summer months were a time and an opportunity to set up a robust find, test and trace system specifically tailored to the education setting.”
“As the second week of the return to school comes to a close, there are only two words to describe the situation in which children, parents and school staff find themselves: confused and ill-prepared. The Minister of Education has a responsibility to ensure that schools are supported during the pandemic, but the PHA also has a clear responsibility. Although I welcome the recent announcement that the PHA will take on contact tracing I caution, Members and Minister, that that may not resolve the situation. I have concerns around the PHA's capacity. I have outstanding questions in with the Department about the PHA's capacity, and, given the levels of transmission referred to, I am still concerned.”
“Minister, you referred to the letter of 16 June that you wrote to the Health Committee, in which you advised that you were working to develop a service specification for commissioning. It has been 14 months since the abortion regulations were made. When will you complete that work, and when will that service be delivered?”
“Let us reward their commitment and effort today and every day in real and meaningful ways, both large and small.”
“I want to see the removal of abuse, verbal and physical, from all our healthcare settings, whether in the emergency department or on the phone to the GP receptionist or while walking down the street. Let us not forget all the emergency and front-line workers who were there on our behalf when they were needed. They do what they do because of their commitment to their work and to us, their community.”
“Staff contact me daily through my office and directly on social media to ask for details of the recognition payment. The Minister has said publicly that he hopes that the long-awaited COVID-19 recognition payment to staff will be in bank accounts by the end of the month. I ask the Minister to share any further detail on that as soon as possible. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I acknowledge that it is right and proper to recognise the work and services provided by Health and Social Care staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to see that recognition in every interaction that we have with staff. I would like to see and hear it in a simple "Thank you" after getting treated. Say it to the nurse, the doctor, the social worker, the porter, the cook or the social care worker.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have heard from staff about issues such as the need to have safe staffing levels and legislation to ensure those; to address the workforce crisis and vacancy problems; to tackle the reliance and spend on agency staff; to reduce waiting lists and transform services; to provide genuine and supportive psychological help; and, at a basic level, to ensure that, when staff are on shift, there is somewhere safe and warm for them to go to get their lunch, take breaks and change their clothes. <BR /> <BR />I have also heard clear calls for a pay award and uplift that is fair, decent and meaningful to recognise and reward our cherished Health and Social Care staff. I am sure that I am not the only one here who has heard from staff about that.”
“I note the award announced for NHS staff. I am sure that, for some Health and Social Care staff, it is a welcome announcement that will provide some comfort, reassurance and, indeed, recognition. In my time as health spokesperson and as Health Committee Chair, I have had many chats, discussions and meetings with staff, trade unions and professional bodies. In my experience, there has been a call for true and proper recognition of the skills and commitment shown by all our staff in their duties.”
“It is concerning to see another large-scale recall, which is symptomatic of the pressure that the workforce and the services are under. Given the central importance of radiology in imaging and diagnostics, and given the existing waiting list situation, what is the Minister's assessment of the impact that this recall will have on radiology services across other trusts?”
“However, access to local, accessible and effective counselling services is also difficult and can be a postcode lottery. Depending on where you live, GPs, in many cases, do not even provide counselling services. Can you outline how this strategy will ensure that there are accessible counselling services locally so that patients do not have to travel large distances to access services? <BR /> <BR />Can I ask you for some details on the review on the mental health workforce that you identified? In particular, when will that be complete? Will it have clear recommendations on the staff numbers and roles that are needed going forward?”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle, and go raibh maith agat, Minister, for this very important statement on important and central work. I acknowledge the work of your officials and of the many organisations and activists involved in developing the strategy. In the Committee, we have engaged very effectively with Tomas and Peter on a regular basis. That is welcome. I also welcome the indication in the statement that the stakeholders in the charity and voluntary sector will be more centrally involved on an ongoing basis. That is to be welcomed and is the right approach, so go raibh maith agat mar sin. <BR /> <BR />Minister, access to GP services is increasingly under pressure, and, given their workload, GPs are also under pressure.”
“As we look into the reform of social care in the North, we need to ensure that proper funding is attached to the regional dementia pathway. Dementia needs to be a stand-alone priority. I commend the petition to the Speaker's Office.”
“Until things change, dementia will continue to claim more than one life as the families also feel its destructive effects. It does not have to be that way. We know that the right care and support services can make a huge difference for people with dementia and their families, supporting people to best manage their lives with dementia and manage them how they want to and enabling families to spend more time on their important roles as husbands, wives, sons and daughters. We need to see urgently the long-overdue proposals from the Minister on the future reform of adult social care. <BR /> <BR />The Alzheimer's Society is calling for a focus on the social care system to provide quality social care that is free and easy to access, no matter where you live. Unfortunately, while dementia is not yet curable, the care system is.”
“The Health Committee undertook a review of the impact on care homes. The review found many failings and impacted groups, but the inquiry could never cover the wide-ranging impact that the pandemic has had on those with dementia in the community and their families. <BR /> <BR />The number of people waiting for longer than nine weeks to see a GP for a dementia diagnosis has more than tripled from 2020 to 2021. Family carers are exhausted and, sadly, in all too many cases, feel abandoned and ignored. Today, we still await word on the COVID-19 recognition payment for unpaid carers some six months after it was first announced. <BR /> <BR />Where the person with dementia was a care home resident, far too many families, frustratingly, were unable to visit or access the care partner model.”
“Just under 2,000 people have signed the Alzheimer's Society's petition calling for the Government to cure the care system. I know, however, that that call and focus is shared by many more people across the North. Feelings of confusion, desperation and isolation affect not just people with dementia but those who care for them and are closest to them. It is estimated that, across the North, 22,000 people live with dementia, and their families are struggling to get the support and care that they need and deserve. <BR /> <BR />The coronavirus pandemic has exposed failings in the health and social care system like never before. People with dementia have been worst hit by coronavirus and, according to NISRA, account for over a third of all deaths here, with many more, unfortunately, rapidly deteriorating from the knock-on effects of lockdown.”
“I ask people to bear in mind that we are not yet out of the woods and to continue to abide by the guidance and social-distancing requirements in order to ensure that our Health and Social Care system can deliver the excellent service that it wishes to for us all.”
“I raised an issue about testing, track and trace and measuring the impact of easing restrictions on the transmission rate. That is an area that the Committee has highlighted on number of occasions, and it would be good to see the evidence behind easing restrictions to ensure that they do not significantly increase the transmission of the virus. The Committee agreed to recommend that the health protection regulations be approved by the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />In my role as Sinn Féin health spokesperson, I reiterate the message that everyone, especially as we go into the summer, should bear in mind the reality of the situation that we still face with COVID-19 and the fact that our Health and Social Care (HSC) system has been stretched above and beyond breaking point and remains extremely under pressure.”