DUP Has No Constructive Input Into Health Service Debate

John McCallister MLA, Ulster Unionist Party Spokesperson for Health Social Services and Public Safety, has challenged the DUP to start making more constructive contributions to health service debates. The DUP tabled a motion today which called on the Health Minister to urgently review the recruitment process in the Health Service. However, Mr. McCallister contended that the DUP did not come up with any suggestions for an important issue that the Minister for Health is fully aware of and continually addressing.

In a statement John McCallister said:

"This was little more than another point scoring mission with little concern for the people the debate refers to or the health service."

"The Department of Health recognises how important workforce planning is in identifying appropriate staffing and levels and structures. The Workforce Planning Unit has implemented a programme of comprehensive workforce planning reviews carried out at regional level across the main professions and a number of supporting groups in the HPSS. The Minister and the Trusts have been taking action and they will continue to do so because it is in their own best interests".

"In cases where the Department of Health has noticed that there are significant shortages in particular sectors the Minister has not simply sat back and watched as a crisis unfolds, he and his Department have been proactive in recruitment. For example, in November 2007 Michael McGimpsey launched a nursing recruitment campaign in response to a recognized problem that there was shortage of both mental Health and learning disability nursing. This is innovative recruitment - but we cannot force people to commit to education and training that often takes many years".

"Vacancies in Northern Ireland are currently around the 2% this is comparable with other regions in the United Kingdom. Recruitment and retention strategies are comparable to other regions in the United Kingdom. I recognise that improvements can always be made, but the Health Minister and trusts are constantly looking for those improvements and it is in their best interest to make these improvements".