Derry MLA Maeve McLaughlin has asked for clarity as to why the priorities for additional funding for health as outlined to the Health Committee by departmental officials are at odds with what the Finance Minister has allocated.
Sinn Fein MLA Maeve McLaughlin
The Sinn Fein representative, chairperson of the Health Committee at Stormont, while the allocation of £52 million to the Department of Health under the latest monitoring round was welcome, especially the £33 million for capital build projects, the way in which the rest of the monies had been prioritised by the Finance Minister and the way the monies were prioritised by the Department were “clearly at odds.”
She added: “Officials from the Department the Health Committee were pressed in recent weeks to outline their bids for any additional funding that could be obtained.
“Very clearly they laid out that their priorities were ranked as Clinical Negligence, the Transforming Your Care strategy followed thirdly by Elective Care.”
Ms McLaughlin said the additional funding granted in the monitoring round dealt only with addressing Elective Care.
She added: “Is there a communication breakdown? Has the Minister placed the emphasis in the wrong place or conveyed the wrong message to the Finance Department while bidding for additional funds?”
Ms McLaughlin added: “These are only some of the questions that the Minister needs to provide clarity on. Over the past weeks we have seen decisions by the Minster challenged successfully in court and today there are unfortunately more questions for the Minister to answer.”
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