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21/10/2013
Additional £52m Funding Allocated For Health
Health Minister Edwin Poots has welcomed a £52m funding allocation for his Department in the October Monitoring Round.
This allocation includes £38m capital funding that will allow a number of significant capital investment schemes to commence, as well as £14m to address elective care waiting times. The capital allocation includes £15.5m towards a new Children's Hospital and associated works at the Royal Victoria Hospital site.
Welcoming the Finance Minister's announcement, the Health Minister said: "Children and young people have unique and specific medical requirements and this money will assist us in providing them with services that are fit for the 21st century.
"A replacement Regional Children's Hospital is a major project that I have been keen to take forward, particularly as parts of the current facilities are nearly 100 years old. Securing this additional funding from the Executive provides me with the opportunity to move this much needed project forward to ensure that our children will receive their care and treatment in a modern paediatric environment.
"The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust is at an advanced stage of developing a business case for the replacement hospital. I have asked for this to be progressed as a matter of urgency and anticipate business case approval in early 2014. This will enable work to deliver the new hospital to begin in 2014/15 with completion expected in 2020/21."
Mr Poots added: "This investment will also provide a boost to the local construction industry. Hospital construction, by its complex nature, is labour intensive and requires the input of a wide range of small to medium sized enterprises from across all areas of the construction industry. This offers opportunities to local contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers and manufacturers. Every pound spent on construction generates in the order of £2.84 of economic benefit."
(CD/JP)
This allocation includes £38m capital funding that will allow a number of significant capital investment schemes to commence, as well as £14m to address elective care waiting times. The capital allocation includes £15.5m towards a new Children's Hospital and associated works at the Royal Victoria Hospital site.
Welcoming the Finance Minister's announcement, the Health Minister said: "Children and young people have unique and specific medical requirements and this money will assist us in providing them with services that are fit for the 21st century.
"A replacement Regional Children's Hospital is a major project that I have been keen to take forward, particularly as parts of the current facilities are nearly 100 years old. Securing this additional funding from the Executive provides me with the opportunity to move this much needed project forward to ensure that our children will receive their care and treatment in a modern paediatric environment.
"The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust is at an advanced stage of developing a business case for the replacement hospital. I have asked for this to be progressed as a matter of urgency and anticipate business case approval in early 2014. This will enable work to deliver the new hospital to begin in 2014/15 with completion expected in 2020/21."
Mr Poots added: "This investment will also provide a boost to the local construction industry. Hospital construction, by its complex nature, is labour intensive and requires the input of a wide range of small to medium sized enterprises from across all areas of the construction industry. This offers opportunities to local contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers and manufacturers. Every pound spent on construction generates in the order of £2.84 of economic benefit."
(CD/JP)
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