£70m '˜a drop in the ocean' for '˜growing' NHS crisis
SDLP Health Spokesperson Mark H Durkan has welcomed confirmation around where the remaining £70m from the Transformation Fund is to be spent, but said it is '˜simply a drop in the ocean' compared to what was needed to deal with '˜an ever-growing crisis in our health service'.
The Foyle MLA was speaking after the Department of Health confirmed additional money for mental health services, GP practices and primary care. Mr Durkan said: “It is vital that we plan ahead and this was the purpose of transformation. Again and again solutions for transformation have been identified but never implemented. It is imperative that things change and the SDLP has long advocated for an overall transformation of the health service to deal with the ever growing problems.
“The absence of an Assembly means that there is no accountability about where the money is being directed. I will be meeting with the Permanent Secretary to make it clear that the process must be transparent and accountable.”