Other News In Brief

Appeal For Witnesses To Fatal Collision In Waringstown

The PSNI have issued an appeal for information and witnesses following a fatal collision in Waringston, County Down.

A man, aged in his 60s, died after he was struck by a lorry in the Moss View area of Waringston at around 5.45pm on Thursday 24 November.

Emergency services attended the incident but the man was declared dead at the scene.

Anyone who may have witnessed the collision, in particular any drivers with dashcam footage, is asked to contact police.

SDLP Concerned Over Potential Closure Of Ballymena GP Surgeries

SDLP councillor Eugene Reid has expressed his concern over the potential closures of two GP surgeries in the Ballymena area.

Around 7,000 patients will be affected by the closure of the surgeries based at the Ballymena Health and Care Centre.

Councillor Reid said that every effort must be made to find GPs to take over the contracts and avert the closure of the surgeries.

Councillor Reid said: "The news that these practices have handed back their contracts will rightly cause concern for people across Ballymena and the wider area who rely on them for medical treatment. The thought of 7,000 people trying to find a new practice at a time when our health service is under extreme pressure doesn’t bear thinking about and the Department of Health must do everything in their power to find new doctors to take over these surgeries and protect services for patients.

"People in this community have seen many vital services leave this area over the years and they are angry at the prospect of losing more. Before it opened, we were promised that the Ballymena Health and Care Centre would make a real difference to the lives of people here, providing a variety of on-site treatments and removing the need to travel elsewhere in many instances, now two of the GP surgeries based there face an uncertain future.

"The issues we are experiencing in Ballymena are being replicated right across the North. Due to a lack of proper workforce planning and the failure to recruit and train enough GPs we are seeing many practices left in a similar situation when existing GPs retire or leave due to the demands being placed on them. Our health service is on its knees due to a failure to implement much needed reform and people everywhere are suffering. I will do everything in my power to protect local services, but what we really need are functioning institutions at Stormont to make the necessary changes to that everyone can access healthcare when they need it."

Energy Support Payments Urgently Needed – SF

The British government must make the Energy Support payments urgently to help hard pressed families after six months of delay, Sinn Féin MP John Finucane has said.

The North Belfast MP said: "It's unacceptable that people are still waiting on clarity from the British government when they will receive the energy support payments which they were promised over six months ago.

"People are sick and tired of the dithering and delay by the British government over this much needed payment at a time when energy bills are through the roof.

"The reality is that the DUP's boycott of the Executive has prevented people from receiving this payment which they so badly need.

"This delay is unacceptable for families trying to make ends meet and it is essential that this is paid out urgently."