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Stormont collapse causes health legislation delays

UUP health spokesman Roy Beggs has voiced concern over delays in passing health legislation and strategies
UUP health spokesman Roy Beggs has voiced concern over delays in passing health legislation and strategies UUP health spokesman Roy Beggs has voiced concern over delays in passing health legislation and strategies

A UUP assembly member has claimed that 19 pieces of legislation and key strategies have been delayed at the Department of Health as a result of Stormont’s collapse.

Health spokesman Roy Beggs last night described the situation as “scandalous”.

Mr Beggs said the figures were obtained by his party through the Freedom of Information Act.

He said the list of issues "is extensive and includes key decisions such as the publication of Northern Ireland’s next suicide prevention strategy, something which had been expected for publication in 2017".

"Even the 2018/19 pay award for our doctors and nurses remains up in the air, despite being already finalised in England, Scotland and Wales. We are now half way through the financial year without a local decision,” he said.

Mr Beggs said another outstanding decision centres on “what actions are required to live within budget for 2019/20”.

“The last time the health department used language like that was in summer 2017 when each of Northern Ireland’s five health trusts announced sweeping cuts in a desperate attempt to make £70m of emergency savings,” he said.

He said the political impasse has been allowed to go on too long.

“The Secretary of State has allowed the stalemate to run on for far too long,” he said.

“Most, if not all, of these delays could have been avoided had she acted much quicker to put some form of decision making in place before now.”

The Department of Health declined to comment.