SDLP Health Spokesperson Mark H Durkan has said that while additional resource for the health service is welcome, that no one should believe that handing political decisions on health to the Tories is a sustainable position.The Foyle MLA said: “There are serious structural and resource challenges facing our health service.
“Growing waiting lists, a shortage of nurses, GPs and consultants in rural communities, the pressures of dealing with an ageing population and service rationalisation pose very real challenges to the day-to-day operation of health services here.
“Against that backdrop, of course extra resource is welcome. But even against the resource test alone, the budget falls short leaving a funding gap of around £160m.
“Health Service leaders could be faced with the same crisis scenario they were looking at last year before extra money was identified to avert critical service cuts.
“But the more pressing issue is that we are now looking at handing political control of our Health Service to the Conservative Party and the DUP.
“Ask any consultant, nurse or junior doctor in England if they think the Tories have been good for their health service.
“Ask patients or ward nurses if they would willingly hand control of services over to Jeremy Hunt given any other option.
“The Tories in control of our health service is worst case scenario for patients and professionals.
“The SDLP has made proposals for a convention of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference to bring forward a package of legislation to deal with the challenges preventing the restoration of an Executive.
“That needs to happen immediately so that we can return our health service to local leaders working with professionals, patients and their families to transform provision and enhance services,” added Mr Durkan.
