SDLP Health and Mental wellbeing spokesperson Mark H Durkan has said that the culture of secrecy that has infected no-deal preparations must be broken and the public should be allowed to judge the future we’re facing for themselves.
He said there is no discernible public interest argument in hiding the truth from people.
Said the Foyle MLA: “I cannot believe that the Belfast Trust is point blank refusing to share with the public the state of no-deal Brexit contingency planning because they believe it would cause alarm.
“If a no-deal exit threatens health services, the safe supply of medicines or provision of treatment, or workforce stability then service users have a right to know. Refusing to disclose this information will only cause further undue alarm.
“The Trust is right to make preparations to secure patient and public safety in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
“They cannot, however, determine that these efforts are to be made in secret and that people should be kept in the dark about what we can expect to happen from 1st November.
“The culture of secrecy that has pervaded these preparations must be broken.
“I will be writing to the Trust, the Health and Social Care Board and the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health to make clear my view that transparency must be at the heart of any preparations which present a threat to the continuity of care.”
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