Health Minister Urged To Clarify Position On Booster Jabs For Carers

Alliance has called on the Health Minister to urgently clarify whether carers will receive the COVID booster jab,

Making the call, Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong said: "Earlier this year, the Health Minister confirmed carers would be in the first phase of boosters.

"But again, they have been left frustrated as it appears the Minister has forgotten about carers once more. The Minister previously promised a one-off £500 payment in recognition of workers throughout the pandemic, but then later confirmed he didn't have the ability to make the payment.

"Carers continue to provide unpaid caring services, without a break. They have been left without respite or day centre provision, as well as no payment and now no booster. Some carers are rightly asking if the Health Minister really cares about them. If he did, this persistent and disappointing treatment would stop and they would be prioritised, not forgotten."

New Assured Skills Academy With PwC Announced

A new Assured Skills Academy with PwC offering 20 high quality training places, has been announced by Economy Minister Gordon Lyons.

Focussing on Technology, the Assured Skills Academy is open to people with a Level 5 qualification and relevant experience, or a 2:2 degree in any discipline.

Successful applicants receive nine weeks of industry-relevant pre-employment training at Belfast Met. Participants who complete the training have the opportunity to gain industry-recognised qualifications.

Minister Lyons said: "I am pleased to announce another Assured Skills Academy with PwC and Belfast Met. This is an excellent opportunity for people to join the largest firm of professional advisors in Northern Ireland.

"Developing the local skills base is a key element of our economic recovery. Assured Skills Academies have a very strong track record of success in upskilling people and helping them secure employment."

The Minister added: "Successful applicants to the Academy will receive £155 per week training allowance and travel expenses while they train. They will also be guaranteed an interview with PwC in Belfast on completion of the training."

Deborah Stevenson, Operate Director at PwC, said:

"We are continually impressed with the talent we have in our local market and the appetite to invest in their continued skills development. This will set our economy apart in the future and we support these students to realise their potential through our Academies. Joining them gives people access to exceptional training across a range of skills and areas that are relevant in today's world, with practical application and insight into working with PwC."

SDLP Urges FMdFM To Support Vaccine Certification Programme

The SDLP has called on the First and deputy First Minister to support the introduction of a mandatory vaccine certification programme in Northern Ireland.

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood said that the decision to defer tough choices around certification by the DUP and Sinn Féin in spite of the stark warnings issued by health service leaders has contributed to growing pressures and urgent action is now required.

Colum Eastwood MP said: "Two months ago I wrote to the First Ministers urging them to introduce a vaccine certification programme in the North to mitigate the threat of increased transmission of Covid-19 as we entered the winter period. It was entirely predictable that traditional winter pressures, combined with increased transmission of Covid-19, would lead to unsustainable demand for hospital beds that could overwhelm urgent care settings.

"The policy of deferring and delaying the difficult decisions that were needed months ago has contributed to the situation we're now in. Hospitals forced to divert patients in need of treatment because they have no bed space and pressures have become overwhelming. Make no mistake – what we are seeing is the collapse of some services in spite of the exhaustive efforts of staff doing their best to cope. This is a failure of public policy caused by a failure of political leadership.

"As a political leader I am not prepared to stand by and just hope that case numbers fall. The truth is that we have two choices – increase vaccinations or increase restrictions. I do not believe we can endure another extended lockdown, it would be devastating for people, their mental health and for businesses and their staff. Our proposal is aimed at keeping our health service going, our society open and our economy afloat.

"I have written to Paul Givan and Michelle O'Neill again today urging them to change course. The time to take decisive action was months ago but the opportunity to act remains. The Executive must, this week, move to introduce a mandatory certification programme to prevent the collapse of health services and protect the public."