Major cash injection for NI health budget

Health and Social Services emerged the top priority as the Northern Ireland Executive’s revised Budget for 2002-03 unveiled in the Assembly.

On Monday, December 3, Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mark Durkan, revealed an 8.9 per cent increase in the allocation for Health and Social Services and the provision of free nursing care for the elderly.

The revised health budget is £72 million higher than the allocation for 2002-03 announced in June 2001 and £41 million higher than indicated in the Draft Budget issued in September 2001 - other key areas to benefit from the budget include schools and roads.

Mr Durkan announced an immediate injection of £8 million into the health service in this current financial year, which is on top of the £14.3 million allocated in November.

The Minister said: “A fundamental reality is that demand for and expectation of Health Services in societies such as our own is expanding rapidly. Rightly, people want the best standard of care, treatment and service available for themselves and their loved ones, to alleviate suffering, to improve life expectancy and to provide dignity and comfort in extreme circumstances.

“We have increased the allocation for Health funding very significantly since devolution. In 2002-03, spending will be £687 million, or 37 per cent higher than it was in 1998-99. This is a clear signal of the importance we attach to the health service.

The Minister emphasised that the move had been made possible through the Executive’s own decisive action, and was not a copycat measure inspired by the Treasury: “The new money includes some £13 million for community services which will address the growing backlog in a number of key services, mainly for older people but also for those with mental illnesses and learning disabilities.

“We are also allocating an additional £12.4m for hospital services, to address some critical issues in relation to the treatment of heart disease and cancer, so that more patients can receive urgent and necessary treatment.”

In relation to the needs of families and the elderly, the Minister said he was pleased to confirm that subject to the enactment of the necessary legislation, the Executive would be able to proceed with the introduction of free nursing care for the elderly.

It is hoped that the cash boost will enable a start to be made on tackling the most serious problems facing both the community and the hospital sectors. (SP)