Solidarity ✊

Solidarity from Nipsa Branch 730, Belfast Health Branch ✊

15. And to conclude, a clear plan for early intervention/treatment through timely access to, for instance, locally based GP services remains a fundamental part of any Health Service reform. If this is missing, then the objectives upon which reform is required, become so much more difficult. Ends/

14. Critically, we must act quickly to try and curb the mental health crisis developing across NI at a rapid rate. This cuts across and can impact on so many different parts of an integrated health and social care system. The current mental health strategy must be rigorously implemented.

13. Central to health reform is a clear cross departmental approach that involves the Education Authority, Dept. of Communities, Infrastructure etc. For too long these departments have been siloed and lip service paid to health joint working. Access to centralised services is critical.

12. There must be a stepped approach to recommendations such as centres of excellence providing local health care. These need to be built up with appropriately trained staff and the model built out gradually across NI based on what is working, what is required and how effective these services are.

11. The much touted Bengoa Report, significantly overlooked the critical function of social care as part of the Health Service in NI and focused mostly on Acute care. There isn't much to argue about the recommendations Bengoa made, but the lack of focus on social care is a major oversight.

10. And any reform process is at a time when there are record waiting lists, record demand across services, record numbers of children in care, record numbers of older people needing services, record number of expensive nursing homes, record waiting lists for mental health services etc.

9. The snapshot of all of the above point to one thing that is absolutely crucial - Reform! However, the pace of a clear strategy of reform is glacial at Stormont. Transitional monies outside of the current HSC budget is required if change is to be properly planned and realised and made real.

8. Cost of living crisis! HSC Trust's have faced, like everywhere else, a huge rise in heating, electricity and operating costs. Just look at how many buildings the HSC system operates out of across NI!! It is literally thousands of buildings that must be maintained for wider public use.

7. Across the HSC system, there continues to be a massive spend on Locum Doctors and Agency Staff. This continues to run into, again, hundreds of millions of pounds yearly. Vacancies in key areas such as medical consultants, Nursing and A&C staff remains, due to poor workforce planning by the DOH.

6. Another big cost to the HSC budget is the number of children that have come in to the care system with a 17% increase since the beginning of the pandemic with close to (now most likely over) 4000 children in the care system. Unaccompanied minors and austerity have impacted in this area greatly.

5. The new healthcare computer system, Encompass, has been in development for years and has cost hundreds of millions of pounds. Is this money well spent? Too soon to say as the exact cost isn't known and if the system is value for money, but more transparency is required about its actual cost.