Trust is playing a 'dangerous and difficult game'
ALMOST four million is expected to be saved by the Northern Health Board following the recent closure of the emergency departments at Mid Ulster and Antrim Area hospitals.
It is understood that the savings will be made annually, however the figure released is based on the confirmation of bed numbers being kept at the two hospitals
Following a question tabled by Mid Ulster MLA Michelle O'Neill, the Northern Ireland Assembly revealed the Northern Health and Social Care Trust are to deliver efficiencies in the region of 3.7 million.
It was also revealed that since the hospitals’ closure seven weeks ago, over 4,000 patients have attended Antrim Area hospital's accident & emergency department.
The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety say that performance has been steadily improving in regards to the four hour target time, which they say, 'indicates the effectiveness of the arrangements put in place by the Trust to manage demand'.
However, Hugh McCloy, a spokesperson of Save The Mid Group, believes the money saved will not be reinvested into the Northern Trust.
He said: "The 3.7 million figure is very small compared with the 19.8 million spent on running management within the Northern Trust.
"These efficiency savings should be reinvested into the Northern Trust, but I know it will be spent and divided among all the other trusts.
"It's a very dangerous and difficult game they are playing."
Michelle O’Neill, who is also the deputy chairperson of Stormont’s Health Committee, said the savings does not justify the closure of the two A&E departments.
“There is no financial argument if they are not saving on the bigger scale of things.
“The amount of money saved by the health department by closing Mid Ulster’s A&E is not plausible, and the safety of the people within the catchment area is paramount.
“The move by the Northern Trust was too sudden and the people of Mid Ulster deserve better quality, they deserve the same access to care like people living in Belfast city, for example.
“We will continue to work with people on the ground and hospital staff to rebuild a service that was once available at that site.”
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Weather for Belfast
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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