Menu
18/10/2016
Only £21.5m Of £40m Allocated Used To Tackle Waiting Lists In NI
Only £21.5million of £40m allocated to tackle waiting lists in Northern Ireland was spent on the problem, according to the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP).
Mr Tom Elliott MP described the news as "shocking" and said: "There will be many thousands of people waiting for treatment who will find this revelation that almost half of the £40m couldn't be spent because it came too late absolutely abhorrent."
The Ulster Unionist Party has revealed that only £21.5m of a £40m allocation last year to tackle Northern Ireland;s spiralling waiting lists was spent on that problem.
UUP Health Spokesperson, Jo-Anne Dobson MLA, said: "The crisis affecting our entire health service is unprecedented. Currently over one in five of the population are on a hospital waiting list, often in unbearable levels of pain and anxiety.
"Whist many had hoped to benefit from last year's announcement of an extra £40m, they will quite understandably be furious today to learn than £18.5m was redirected to other pressures. At the time I warned the announcement had come so late in the financial year that hospitals would struggle to be able to respond and unfortunately that's exactly what has happened.
"Whilst much of the £18.5m was utilised on a range of other genuine pressures, such as domiciliary care and GP out of hours, it is simply unacceptable that patient expectations were raised so highly, only to be so cruelly knocked down. Whilst the headline allocation of £40m to tackle waiting lists was a convenient pre-election diversion for the DUP, their inept announcement of it meant only a fraction of the operations and treatments they promised would happen did happen."
(CD/LM)
Mr Tom Elliott MP described the news as "shocking" and said: "There will be many thousands of people waiting for treatment who will find this revelation that almost half of the £40m couldn't be spent because it came too late absolutely abhorrent."
The Ulster Unionist Party has revealed that only £21.5m of a £40m allocation last year to tackle Northern Ireland;s spiralling waiting lists was spent on that problem.
UUP Health Spokesperson, Jo-Anne Dobson MLA, said: "The crisis affecting our entire health service is unprecedented. Currently over one in five of the population are on a hospital waiting list, often in unbearable levels of pain and anxiety.
"Whist many had hoped to benefit from last year's announcement of an extra £40m, they will quite understandably be furious today to learn than £18.5m was redirected to other pressures. At the time I warned the announcement had come so late in the financial year that hospitals would struggle to be able to respond and unfortunately that's exactly what has happened.
"Whilst much of the £18.5m was utilised on a range of other genuine pressures, such as domiciliary care and GP out of hours, it is simply unacceptable that patient expectations were raised so highly, only to be so cruelly knocked down. Whilst the headline allocation of £40m to tackle waiting lists was a convenient pre-election diversion for the DUP, their inept announcement of it meant only a fraction of the operations and treatments they promised would happen did happen."
(CD/LM)
Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
02 April 2003
Rise in transplant waiting list sparks donor appeal
The latest figures from the office of the Transplant Co-ordinator in Belfast City Hospital have revealed that the number of people in the province awaiting organ transplants has risen. Some 240 people are currently waiting for major organ transplants such as heart, kidney, liver or lungs - an increase of almost 60 people on this time last year.
Rise in transplant waiting list sparks donor appeal
The latest figures from the office of the Transplant Co-ordinator in Belfast City Hospital have revealed that the number of people in the province awaiting organ transplants has risen. Some 240 people are currently waiting for major organ transplants such as heart, kidney, liver or lungs - an increase of almost 60 people on this time last year.
03 June 2021
Call For Funding Response To Hospital Waiting List Crisis
NI's Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon is urging the Finance Minister to bring forward funding options to help with the current crisis in hospital waiting lists. The SDLP Minister is to propose that the Finance Minister bring forward options for funding a response to the current hospital waiting list crisis.
Call For Funding Response To Hospital Waiting List Crisis
NI's Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon is urging the Finance Minister to bring forward funding options to help with the current crisis in hospital waiting lists. The SDLP Minister is to propose that the Finance Minister bring forward options for funding a response to the current hospital waiting list crisis.
28 May 2021
Call For Urgent Meeting To Address Waiting List Crisis
The SDLP is calling for an urgent meeting with the Finance and Health Ministers after further details of the extent of the waiting list crisis have been published. MLAs Cara Hunter and Matthew O'Toole said that this is the biggest crisis facing people in Northern Ireland and it must be the most urgent priority for political leaders.
Call For Urgent Meeting To Address Waiting List Crisis
The SDLP is calling for an urgent meeting with the Finance and Health Ministers after further details of the extent of the waiting list crisis have been published. MLAs Cara Hunter and Matthew O'Toole said that this is the biggest crisis facing people in Northern Ireland and it must be the most urgent priority for political leaders.
22 July 2015
Call For Action Plan To Be Implemented To Deal With Hospital Waiting Lists
Sinn Féin is calling for an action plan to be implemented to deal with hospital waiting lists in Northern Ireland. Chair of the Assembly's health committee, MLA Maeve McLaughlin, said the rise in waiting times is "not acceptable" for patients.
Call For Action Plan To Be Implemented To Deal With Hospital Waiting Lists
Sinn Féin is calling for an action plan to be implemented to deal with hospital waiting lists in Northern Ireland. Chair of the Assembly's health committee, MLA Maeve McLaughlin, said the rise in waiting times is "not acceptable" for patients.
02 March 2006
Inpatient waiting lists reach ten-year low
Waiting lists for inpatients and day-patients have reached their lowest in ten years, Health Minister Shaun Woodward revealed today. The number of people waiting over a year for appointments has almost dropped by 50% over the past quarter.
Inpatient waiting lists reach ten-year low
Waiting lists for inpatients and day-patients have reached their lowest in ten years, Health Minister Shaun Woodward revealed today. The number of people waiting over a year for appointments has almost dropped by 50% over the past quarter.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Showers, scattered in the evening, will clear by midnight leaving the night dry with clear spells. Perhaps a touch of ground frost. Cloud will spread east towards morning. Minimum temperature 2 °C.
