WHSCT received £2.2m of £9.4m allocated for children’s respite services
The Western Trust received £2.2m of a £9.4m tranche of funding for children’s respite services in the past financial year.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt confirmed: “The amount of funding, which is rounded up, is as follows: Belfast Trust, £2·2 million; Northern Trust, £1.4m; South Eastern Trust, £2.1m; Southern Trust, £1.4m; and Western Trust, £2.2m.”
Speaking in the Assembly Mr. Nesbitt revealed not all of a total earmarked sum of £13.1m was spent.
"That is a total of approximately £9.4m, so, therefore, there is approximately £3.7m of slippage against the original funding of £13.1m. I apologise for that, but I do not apologise for the ambition in securing £13.1m, and it is recurrent funding,” he said.
Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson said: “Obviously, I very much welcome the £2·2 million going to the Western Trust for children's respite care and support.”
She asked about recruitment.
“Given the current regional recruitment campaign that will target the recruitment of carers, who, we all know, are the backbone of society, how many is the Minister aiming to recruit and will it be sufficient to meet the current unmet need in respite services?” she asked.
Mr Nesbitt replied: “As ever, the answer has to be predicated and ring-fenced by the budget, but I thank the Member for welcoming the investment in her area.
"Recruitment is very challenging in that area, and the Member may well be aware of that. We will press on with trying to get the right workforce in the right place as soon as possible. It is important to say that I am also committed to supporting the parents and carers of young people with disabilities.”