The delay by Health Minister Edwin Poots in announcing his decision on the future of children’s heart surgery was becoming “unacceptable” and causing anguish with the families of sick children, a Derry MLA has claimed.
Sinn Fein MLA Maeve McLaughlin
Sinn Fein’s Maeve McLaughlin, chairperson of the Assembly’s Health Committee, was speaking after the Minister was unable to outline the future of children’s heart services in the North.
Ms McLaughlin said: “In the Assembly, I asked the Minister of Health Edwin Poots to outline the future of children’s heart services in the North. The Minister said he had hoped to announce the decision this week but is unable to do so and could not specify a date in which he will.
“The Minister needs to lift the uncertainty this delay is causing parents and tell us what his plans are for the future of children’s heart services, something he was meant to do in June.”
Ms McLaughlin said chief paediatric consultant surgeon Professor Woods was retiring next week and as yet a replacement had yet to be identified and this could cause delays in surgery times.
She concluded: “Parents are worried about the future care of their children and we need to reassure them that the best interests of their children is being served by the Health Department. The Minister needs to do this as a matter of urgency.”
