Budget sees £400m injection into health

Yesterday's budget, which provided over £400 million for health services, will see the "most significant programme of improvements for patients", according to NIO Minister Des Browne.

Most of this new money, say government ministers, is needed to maintain existing levels of service, however, around £45 million of the investment will be set aside for "meaningful and measurable improvements in a wide range of services". Reducing Northern Ireland's waiting lists, which are the worst per capita within the EU's 15 member states, will clearly be a priority.

Mr Browne said: "The total capital resources available over the next three years amount to £408m – more than double the usual budget – will allow us not only to complete the strategically important projects announced earlier this year such as the Cancer Centre, it will also enable us to press ahead with modernising our hospitals and make sure they are equipped with the latest technology.”

The additional resources will allow for improvements in a number of key services across primary and community care services, which receives an extra £25 million, and acute services, which gets a £17.5 million boost.

The new acute services resources will cover decisions already in the pipeline such as increasing hospital capacity and providing for further improvements in critical services. Cardiac surgery, renal dialysis, cancer, intensive care services and other regional services will all receive significant investment, ministers say. More money will also be made available to improve access to new effective drug therapies and reduce waiting lists.

Des Browne highlighted the plight of the mentally ill and those who have learning disabilities as issues that are in particular need of investment – and as such he earmarked £8 million for community and hospital services.

Elsewhere, the budget will see the completion of schemes like the provision of 100 more acute beds across the region, new communications systems for the Ambulance and Fire Services, a number of ICT projects which will provide direct support to care professionals and a new Regional Acquired Brain Injury Unit at Musgrave Park Hospital.

Mr Browne also commented on proposals for hospital modernisation - ‘Developing Better Services’ – which were issued by the department in June. That document set out a nine-year programme of change and improvement, based on an infrastructure investment of £1.2 billion for hospital modernisation. Responses to the consultation exercise are now being considered.

Mr Browne said: "I will announce the specific projects, as part of the overall decisions, early next year. When final decisions have been taken work can begin straight away to take forward the key capital investments so that projects can begin as soon as possible."

(GMcG)