SDLP Health spokesperson Mark H Durkan has said that “Jeremy Hunt and his cronies” cannot be allowed to take control of the North’s Health Service. Mr Durkan said: “Recently GPs in Northern Ireland called for politicians to do the job we were elected to do – with the Royal College of General Practitioners Northern Ireland calling for urgent action to address GP shortages to protect patient care and services.
“We have also seen figures revealing that one-third of cancer patients wait too long for treatment and that targets have not been met for an eighth consecutive year.
“While there are new efforts to recruit new nurses, these will take some time while staff are faced with daily pressures currently.
“We need to act now to address work force shortages – our hard working health staff cannot wait.
“The situation is not only alarming, it’s disgraceful. Patients are waiting too long for health care and it’s not only the SDLP who are saying this – professionals are crying out for a way to save our health service and for leadership to put patients first.
“Our doctors, nurses and health care staff are working tirelessly to do all they can for patients, but the pressures are too much. Transformation is needed. Without a government here we cannot deliver the transformation that we so desperately need to save our NHS.
“We need to take politics out of health – but we need politics to deliver for health. It’s our responsibility. It is shameful for anyone to believe that we can just sit out that responsibility and that patients can wait – because they cannot.
“Our health crisis will only be resolved if we take responsibility here over our local powers.
“It will not be resolved if we leave it to Tory Direct Rule.
“We cannot allow Jeremy Hunt and his cronies to take control,” added Mr Durkan.
