BMA Hits Out On Swine Flu Funding

There was discord among Stormont Ministers - and criticism from a senior NI medic - as news of a major financial fillip was revealed on Tuesday.

Although a cash injection for the NI economy of well over £230m is nothing to be sneezed at, news from the Stormont Assembly that no extra funds are going towards the fight against swine flu has angered the NI Health Minister - and the BMA.

Michael McGimpsey has criticised the refusal of his Executive colleague, the Finance Minister Sammy Wilson to provide him with the £55m he says he needs to tackle the global pandemic.

Dr Brian Patterson, Chairman of the BMA's Northern Ireland Council (pictured above) has added his voice to the criticism: "Tackling the pandemic caused by the H1N1 virus is a major public health challenge for Northern Ireland that requires a united response from the Northern Ireland Assembly leadership.

"We are deeply concerned at the refusal of Mr Wilson to find additional funding to ensure that Northern Ireland is properly prepared for the predicted rise in 'flu cases.

"There is no option but to fund preparations to tackle the pandemic, and the additional funding must be found, while ensuring that other healthcare services are not impaired in any way," he said.

"As doctors, we will continue to work with the DHSSPS and other healthcare colleagues to provide patient care, but this is becoming increasingly difficult under mounting financial constraints."

It emerged yesterday that most of the 'new' money is going to pay for deferred water charges, while £20m is going to NI Housing Executive renovations.

Mr Wilson said the NI Executive was trying to use the money imaginatively.

However, Michael McGimpsey was very unhappy, given what he said was the urgency of his case in battling swine flu.

"I'm deeply disappointed," he told the BBC. "We have a pandemic flu worldwide - the biggest health challenge the world has faced for many years."

However, NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie welcomed the Executive decision that £20million would be made available to her for social housing.

She said it will allow her to address a range of pressures in her housing budget.

"The £20m for housing is a boost both for tenants and for the local construction sector."

Finance Minister Sammy Wilson told MLAs on Tuesday that in 2008-09 local departments invested more than £10,000million in public services for the first time in history.

In terms of additional funding allocations as part of the June 'Monitoring Round' the Minister stated: "Despite the challenging overall financial position I am still able to make over £210million in additional allocations to departments, in respect of commitments previously entered into by the Executive including the deferral of the introduction of water charges for a further year.

"In addition I am making a £20million capital allocation to social housing for disabled adaptations and renovation grants which will also enable the Social Development Minister to release funding which had been held back."

(BMcC/JM)