SINN Féin MLA Maeve McLaughlin, who is the chair of the Health Committee, has welcomed the engagement today with the newly appointed Expert Panel.
The panel was put together by DUP Health Minister Simon Hamilton to shape the future of health and social care across the North of Ireland.
Speaking today Ms McLaughlin said: “Reform of our health service is not just about structures but about culture.
“We need to move to a genuine public health model that is based on targeting health inequalities.
“While the health of our people is improving, in that people are living longer, the gap between advantage and disadvantage grows.
“The Chair of the Expert Panel, Rafael Begoa, has recognized this as a huge issue facing us as a society and I welcome that. I hope this panel will make this a major focus.
“Today was the start of the engagement with the expert panel in the formulation of a much-needed reform of the health system.
“Sinn Féin will continue to meet with the panel to ensure this does not just become another report on a shelf but will have a measurable and deliverable timeframe for implementation.”
Tags: