‘Health needs root and branch reform’ – Hazzard
Sinn Féin MLA Chris Hazzard has said that unless health minister Jim Wells initiates a root and branch review of the Health and Social Care system frontline services will continue to suffer.
Speaking to Newry Times, Hazzard said, “A robust root and branch review of the Health and Social care system is needed.
“There is over administration, duplication of commissioning and a lack of transparency and accountability in decision-making. Health cannot stagger from crisis to crisis.
“The minister has the opportunity to provide leadership and take tough decisions; he needs to do just that otherwise we will see a reduction of frontline services in South Down,” the local MLA insisted.
“Sinn Féin has worked hard to protect health with an additional £200m for 2015/’16 and in the £80m secured in the monitoring rounds.
“While we have secured extra money for frontline health provision we have the ludicrous position of the SDLP calling for more services while voting against the protection of extra money for the Health budget.
Hazzard added, “If South Down is to maintain and improve its health provision then the SDLP need to get real and stop playing petty party politics with the health of our local population.”
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