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13/12/2022
Other News In Brief
SDLP Urge Struggling Families To Turn To Community Support Not Loan Sharks
The SDLP has urged struggling families to turn to community support for help following a Spotlight investigation found paramilitary groups are offering loans to food bank users.
West Belfast representative Paul Doherty, who runs Foodstock in west Belfast, said it was shameful that groups were preying on people who are struggling.
Mr Doherty said: "The stories shared in this Spotlight programme are unfortunately the reality in far too many communities across the North. I have seen first hand and heard many accounts of how these parasites are preying on people who are struggling to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads and at this time of year they have ramped up the pressure, offering people large sums of money they know they will be unable to pay back.
"I see every day the stress that families are under. The reaction from most people in this community has been unbelievable, when they see people struggling they want to help. It is unthinkable to me that others see the need and people who are suffering and their first instinct is to exploit them, it’s not at all reflective of how people have supported each either during the cost of living emergency.
"The British government and DUP should hang their heads, people were relying on energy support payments that they were told would arrive before Christmas to help them through the festive period and after being repeatedly let down people are getting increasingly desperate. To anyone who doesn’t know where to turn I would urge them not to engage with paramilitaries or money lenders. There are community groups like Foodstock right across the North who will do everything they can to help and signpost you in the right direction. Nobody should have to suffer in silence, help is out there and the last thing we want is anyone to fall victim to these groups."
Swann Welcomes Implementation Of Health Service Pay Award
Former Health Minister Robin Swann has welcomed the decision from the Department of Health to implement the independent pay review body's recommendations for health staff.
The UUP MLA said: "This is very welcome but belated confirmation that our health workers in Northern Ireland will receive the same rate of pay as their counterparts in England and Wales. Earlier this year when the recommendations were announced, I made it clear that I accepted the increases and stated I wished to see them implemented as quickly as they could legally be delivered.
"Restoring pay parity was the very first decision I took as Minister in early January 2020 and it's been shameful that due to lack of a functioning Executive, a gap in pay had developed once again over recent months.
"Whilst I fully appreciate that the national pay recommendations of at least an extra £1,400 per year or a 4.5% increase still falls short of what many HSC staff are seeking in the midst of the current cost of living crisis, it's an outrage that they had to wait so long into the year for even the basic increase to be implemented.
"I wrote to the Secretary of State over a month ago urging him to intervene and so I very much welcome the recent clarity on public sector pay policy which has now legally allowed this decision to be taken.
"I am concerned however that given the ongoing budgetary uncertainty at Stormont and the fact that the budget for 2022/23 has only just been agreed four months from the end of the year, that the funding for this essential pay award may come at the expense of investing critical resources at the continued efforts underway to tackle waiting times. I really hope it isn't an either-or situation, but if necessary, the Department of Health locally must be provided with the additional funds. Patients and key service improvements in areas such as cancer & mental health mustn't be allowed to fall victim to the damaging political and budgetary delays outside of their control.
Robin Swann concluded: "Given we are now only a couple of weeks away from Christmas it's my sincere hope that the increases in pay, backdated to April 2022, can be included in the December pay of our health workers."
Alliance Met With Royal College of Emergency Medicine Over A&E Pressures
Representatives of the Alliance Party has met with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine to discuss the growing pressures being experienced in emergency departments across right Northern Ireland.
This meeting comes following a period of extreme busyness observed in hospital A&E wards, with a number of Health Trusts issuing warnings over the last few weeks pleading for the public to only attend in cases of serious medical emergency.
Paula Bradshaw MLA, Health Spokesperson, said: "The need for full-scale transformation of our health and social care system has never been greater. The pressure point for the failure to embrace and drive forward this reform is being felt so acutely in our Emergency Departments. While the number of patients presenting to A&E departments is worrying, the most pressing issue is the lack of beds for admission. The number of beds available in our hospitals has not kept up with population increases, and it is time that investment is made in building capacity before the situation gets any worse."
Danny Donnelly MLA, who is a nurse by profession and still works some shifts in hospitals at weekends, added: "I see a workforce struggling to meet the needs of the patients coming through the doors of our Emergency Departments. Committed healthcare professionals who are trying their best to provide excellent care and treatment, in an environment where demand simply outstrips capacity at every turn. We need a full-scale plan for addressing the issues felt in social care, through primary care and into our secondary care in hospitals.
"This can only be delivered by a functioning Executive, locally-accountable Health Minister and a democratically-elected Health Committee, which only makes clearer the dire need for the restoration of devolved institutions in NI, and further reform that would ensure we never end up in this state of collapse again."
The SDLP has urged struggling families to turn to community support for help following a Spotlight investigation found paramilitary groups are offering loans to food bank users.
West Belfast representative Paul Doherty, who runs Foodstock in west Belfast, said it was shameful that groups were preying on people who are struggling.
Mr Doherty said: "The stories shared in this Spotlight programme are unfortunately the reality in far too many communities across the North. I have seen first hand and heard many accounts of how these parasites are preying on people who are struggling to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads and at this time of year they have ramped up the pressure, offering people large sums of money they know they will be unable to pay back.
"I see every day the stress that families are under. The reaction from most people in this community has been unbelievable, when they see people struggling they want to help. It is unthinkable to me that others see the need and people who are suffering and their first instinct is to exploit them, it’s not at all reflective of how people have supported each either during the cost of living emergency.
"The British government and DUP should hang their heads, people were relying on energy support payments that they were told would arrive before Christmas to help them through the festive period and after being repeatedly let down people are getting increasingly desperate. To anyone who doesn’t know where to turn I would urge them not to engage with paramilitaries or money lenders. There are community groups like Foodstock right across the North who will do everything they can to help and signpost you in the right direction. Nobody should have to suffer in silence, help is out there and the last thing we want is anyone to fall victim to these groups."
Swann Welcomes Implementation Of Health Service Pay Award
Former Health Minister Robin Swann has welcomed the decision from the Department of Health to implement the independent pay review body's recommendations for health staff.
The UUP MLA said: "This is very welcome but belated confirmation that our health workers in Northern Ireland will receive the same rate of pay as their counterparts in England and Wales. Earlier this year when the recommendations were announced, I made it clear that I accepted the increases and stated I wished to see them implemented as quickly as they could legally be delivered.
"Restoring pay parity was the very first decision I took as Minister in early January 2020 and it's been shameful that due to lack of a functioning Executive, a gap in pay had developed once again over recent months.
"Whilst I fully appreciate that the national pay recommendations of at least an extra £1,400 per year or a 4.5% increase still falls short of what many HSC staff are seeking in the midst of the current cost of living crisis, it's an outrage that they had to wait so long into the year for even the basic increase to be implemented.
"I wrote to the Secretary of State over a month ago urging him to intervene and so I very much welcome the recent clarity on public sector pay policy which has now legally allowed this decision to be taken.
"I am concerned however that given the ongoing budgetary uncertainty at Stormont and the fact that the budget for 2022/23 has only just been agreed four months from the end of the year, that the funding for this essential pay award may come at the expense of investing critical resources at the continued efforts underway to tackle waiting times. I really hope it isn't an either-or situation, but if necessary, the Department of Health locally must be provided with the additional funds. Patients and key service improvements in areas such as cancer & mental health mustn't be allowed to fall victim to the damaging political and budgetary delays outside of their control.
Robin Swann concluded: "Given we are now only a couple of weeks away from Christmas it's my sincere hope that the increases in pay, backdated to April 2022, can be included in the December pay of our health workers."
Alliance Met With Royal College of Emergency Medicine Over A&E Pressures
Representatives of the Alliance Party has met with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine to discuss the growing pressures being experienced in emergency departments across right Northern Ireland.
This meeting comes following a period of extreme busyness observed in hospital A&E wards, with a number of Health Trusts issuing warnings over the last few weeks pleading for the public to only attend in cases of serious medical emergency.
Paula Bradshaw MLA, Health Spokesperson, said: "The need for full-scale transformation of our health and social care system has never been greater. The pressure point for the failure to embrace and drive forward this reform is being felt so acutely in our Emergency Departments. While the number of patients presenting to A&E departments is worrying, the most pressing issue is the lack of beds for admission. The number of beds available in our hospitals has not kept up with population increases, and it is time that investment is made in building capacity before the situation gets any worse."
Danny Donnelly MLA, who is a nurse by profession and still works some shifts in hospitals at weekends, added: "I see a workforce struggling to meet the needs of the patients coming through the doors of our Emergency Departments. Committed healthcare professionals who are trying their best to provide excellent care and treatment, in an environment where demand simply outstrips capacity at every turn. We need a full-scale plan for addressing the issues felt in social care, through primary care and into our secondary care in hospitals.
"This can only be delivered by a functioning Executive, locally-accountable Health Minister and a democratically-elected Health Committee, which only makes clearer the dire need for the restoration of devolved institutions in NI, and further reform that would ensure we never end up in this state of collapse again."
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Rain clearing away east by early evening with some clear spells but a few showers likely to affect the North coast and other areas towards dawn, remaining breezy and mild overnight. Minimum temperature 9 °C.
