Derry & Strabane Council expresses alarm over cuts to Health Service
Derry City and Strabane District Council is to write to Western Trust and the Health Minister over the “alarming” plans for Health Service cuts.
In late August Northern Ireland’s health and social care trusts announced proposals to make 12 percent in savings over the next three years, including a reduction in temporary staff and shorter hospital stays.
In response, People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin put forward a successful motion to September’s Health and Community Committee, which read: “Council will write to the Western Trust Chief Executive and the Health Minister to make clear our concern at the proposed 12% cuts to the Health and Social Care Service.”
He also proposed that council invite trade union representatives to a future committee meeting to discuss their “concerns regarding proposed cuts, funding, pay justice, safe staffing, and the impact on care”.
Councillor Harkin said he recently attended a rally at Altnagelvin Hospital and spoke with union representatives, who told him there “isn’t anything else left to cut, because the cuts have already happened”.
“That should be alarming for all of us, given that we already know that the Health Service has been completely underfunded and on its knees,” he added.
“Now workers are being told that cuts have to be put through and if there are more cuts it will end up leading to tragedies in our Health Service.
“Our corporate position is for a defence of our Health Service and for increased investment.
“We’ve had healthcare workers in here before describing the challenges they face, so I think it’s urgent that we write to both the Chief Executive and new Health Minister, raising our concern at these proposed cuts. There’s nothing to cut.”