Only 33 respite beds in the Western Trust

His call follows a response to an assembly question submitted to the Department of Health, which revealed the Western Trust has the fewest number of respite beds across all five trusts.

The Foyle MLA said the figures ‘make for pretty stark reading’.

“They reveal the Western Trust to have the lowest respite beds across all trusts and substantially lower at that, at just 33 beds for the entire trust area.

“For many families here struggling to access the respite services they so desperately need, this revelation will come as no surprise. However, it is shocking and disgraceful to put it mildly.”

He added: “While I accept the trust is facing financial pressures, I cannot accept that parents of children with complex needs are still waiting for suitable and, at the very least, available respite provision within their own city.

“These vital respite beds represent much, much more than an overnight amenity; they offer an essential opportunity for exhausted parent to recharge and they are a crucial crutch for families to lean on. We have a facility in this city, now we must ensure to increase that provision and enhance the service we can provide here in Derry. As such, I have written to the Health Minister regarding the Rosebud facility at the Cottages and hope he can furnish me with a more positive update.”