Ambulance cover in Northern Ireland

UUP Assembly Member Sam Gardiner has responded to concerns that frontline ambulance cover in Northern Ireland may be reduced.

In a statement Mr Gardiner, who is a member of the Health Committee said: "These proposals, and they are just proposals, have been made as a direct result of efficiency savings being foisted upon the Health Service by all parties at the Executive table, including the DUP and Sinn Fein.

"Unfortunately some politicians have been quick to react to this news yet they fail to remember that they voted for the efficiency savings. Indeed some politicians stood on the steps of Stormont and made promises to the trade unions that they would work to exempt health from the efficiency savings process. However when the Ulster Unionist party tabled an amendment demanding that health be exempt from efficiency savings it was the DUP, Sinn Fein and the SDLP who voted against the proposal. Therefore the comments from some politicians today smack of hypocrisy and political opportunism.

"The Minister has acknowledged that there has been a high level of public concern in relation to efficiency proposals and in particular around emergency cover in rural areas. The proposals will now come to the Health Minister for consideration and I know that he will wish to examine them carefully. It should not be forgotten that any savings derived from the service will be ploughed back into front line services".