News
Mater Hospital faces loss of acute services in downgrade
Published on Friday, 4 June, 2010 by Belfast Telegraph
The future role of the Mater Hospital has been thrown into doubt after the chairman of the health committee said it may be downgraded to a local hospital.
The hospital, situated on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast, currently provides a wide range of services including acute inpatient, accident and emergency services, day procedures, mental health services and a maternity ward.
Publication of the March 2010 Northern Ireland waiting list statistics release
Published on Thursday, 3 June, 2010 by Northern Ireland Executive
The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today published the March 2010 Northern Ireland Waiting List Statistics Release.
The waiting list statistics release shows detailed information on the number of people waiting for a first outpatient appointment, a diagnostic test or inpatient treatment at hospitals in Northern Ireland.
Key facts and figures for NI Waiting Times at end of March 2010
Waiting Times for a First Outpatient Appointment
NI Cancer survival rate improves
Published on Wednesday, 2 June, 2010 by UTV News
Breast cancer survival rates in Northern Ireland have increased to nine out of 10 women.
Improved quality of treatment was partly responsible, with more patients taking diagnostic tests and twice as many women having chemotherapy in 2006 compared to a decade earlier, the Queen's University Belfast study showed.
Over 3,000 patients were diagnosed with prostate, breast or colorectal cancer between 1996 and 2006.
Revised plan for maternity unit
Published on Wednesday, 2 June, 2010 by News Letter
The long-delayed new maternity unit at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital could be built five years ahead of schedule, the health minister has announced.
Michael McGimpsey wants to examine whether it could be housed in the top three floors of the critical care building that is currently under construction at the RVH site, rather than building a standalone women's facility.
The move, if approved, would save an estimated £100m. Budget constraints had seen the department put back the projected build date for the women's hospital to 2017/18.
Surgery waiting times to triple
Published on Friday, 28 May, 2010 by UTV News
Surgery waiting times for certain major operations are set to almost triple as a result of the £200m plus Health Service cuts in Northern Ireland.
Patients requiring orthopaedic or urology procedures are to see the NHS's target wait rise from 13 to 36 weeks, according to the Department of Health.
Those needing heart operations will see waiting times double to 26 weeks.
The tangible impact of the budget reductions was outlined to Stormont's Health Committee by senior departmental officials.
Make welfare work for family security and decent jobs
Published on Thursday, 27 May, 2010 by CPAG
The Child Poverty Action Group has highlighted the top priorities for welfare reform ahead of a speech by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the Government’s welfare reform agenda.
The group has said the current system is underperforming in helping to move people into decent work and is failing to help end child poverty. It has highlighted the following priorities for the Secretary of State, Iain Duncan Smith:
Underfunding cannot continue warns Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley, calling for government not to make spending cuts in children's services.
Published on Thursday, 27 May, 2010 by Community NI
Underfunding cannot continue warns Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley, calling for government not to make spending cuts in children's services.
Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley, today called for Government not to cut already underfunded children’s services.
As Ministers prepare to meet to discuss drastic spending cuts to Northern Ireland’s budget Ms Lewsley said that any reduction in services could lead to children and young people’s lives being drastically affected.
Minister welcomes improvement in emergency care waiting times
Published on Wednesday, 26 May, 2010 by Northern Ireland Executive
Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has welcomed the recent improvement in Trusts’ performance on emergency care waiting times in the face of very challenging circumstances.
The Minister was speaking as validated figures for April were published which showed that the percentage of patients who were either treated or discharged or admitted within four hours of their arrival in an A&E department had risen to 83%. This compares to 80% in March and 82% in February.
New electricity supplier could help in battle against fuel poverty: Attwood
Published on Tuesday, 25 May, 2010 by Northern Ireland Executive
Social Development Minister Alex Attwood MLA , today welcomed Airtricity's announcement to enter the energy market in Northern Ireland.
He emphasised that this could help drive down energy prices, in turn helping in the battle against fuel poverty.
McGimpsey to outline budget plans
Published on Tuesday, 25 May, 2010 by BBC News
Health Minister Michael McGimpsey will present his plans to deal with upcoming cuts to his budget later.
On Monday, it was announced Northern Ireland will have to find £128m of savings as part of wider plans to address the UK's national debt.
Out of all the Stormont departments, health receives the biggest amount of funding.
As a result it is expected it will have to find the biggest savings.
Mr McGimpsey will be presenting his plans to the health committee at the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday morning.
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