Northern Ireland

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson claims health trust apologised to him over 'inaccurate' surgery delay information

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. Picture by Hugh Russell
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. Picture by Hugh Russell DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. Picture by Hugh Russell

SIR Jeffrey Donaldson has admitted that claims he made last month about delays to life-saving heart surgery being caused by the protocol were "not entirely accurate".

The DUP leader said he regretted making the claim about equipment that was sourced from Germany being delayed due to the post-Brexit trade arrangements.

The Southern Health Trust and equipment manufacturer Siemens said there was no supply delay because of the protocol.

The Lagan Valley MP also made claims about the protocol disrupting medicine supplies, which at the time were refuted by both the Department of Health and a regional representative of the British Medical Association.

He had initially claimed the heart surgery issue was in relation to the Belfast health trust but after it responded by saying there was "no substance" to the claim, he said the delay occurred in the Southern trust.

A contrite Sir Jeffrey said he accepted he had placed information in the public domain that was inaccurate.

He said he had spoken to the Southern Health Trust after making the claim and said they had apologised to him. The DUP leader said at the time that the information had come from a "senior source" within the trust.

"I've had ongoing contact with the trust about this, the trust have apologised that the information I was given was inaccurate - not so much the fact this equipment had broken down and that cardiac procedures had to be postponed," he said.

"But I accept the trust's explanation that on this occasion it was the size of the equipment was the issue and they were able to source it from the supplier in Germany - and that the protocol on this occasion was not the problem."

A statement last night from the Southern trust said following contact with Sir Jeffrey it appeared he had "been misinformed by sources about the issue on this occasion".

Asked if he would apologise for making the initial claim, Sir Jeffrey said: "I obviously spoke on the basis of information I had been given from reliable medical sources.

"I accept the information was not entirely accurate and was placed in the public domain by me, and I regret that this happened."

Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry said that rather than expressing regret, the DUP leader "should be issuing an apology".

"Moreover, it seems to yet further spin for him to suggest that the trust apologised to him – that comment is not consistent with the statement issued by the trust," he said.

"It remains unclear who was the source of Jeffrey Donaldson's claim and it seemed to be reckless political opportunism on his part to turn the issues with the delivery of the medical equipment into a protocol issue."

SDLP health spokesperson Colin McGrath said "unverified claims" like those made by the DUP leader about the protocol "only heighten tensions and make it more difficult to reach a positive solution".

“When politicians, particularly those in positions of leadership, make mistakes then we should hold our hands up and own up to them," he said

"Whatever his intentions were, Mr Donaldson’s comments had to be publicly denied by trusts at a time when our health service is falling apart and when all our attentions and efforts should be turned to dealing with that."

Mr McGrath again called on Sir Jeffrey to apologise for what he said.