Question Time: Health, Social Services and Public Safety 27 January 2014

Session: 2013/2014

Date: 27 January 2014


During Question Time, the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety responded to a range of questions on subjects including Junior Doctors, Orthopaedic Service and Cystic Fibrosis.

When questioned by Joe Byrne to outline the number of junior doctors recruited by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, the Minister stated:  

 

"The Southern Health and Social Care Trust directly recruited three junior doctors in 2009-2010; six in 2010-11; three in 2011-12; six in 2012-13; and two in 2013-14.  The Southern Trust has approximately 225 junior doctor posts, and the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA) has filled over 90% of those posts."

In supplementary questions, the Minister informed the house that "the South Eastern Trust has redoubled its efforts to attract emergency medical staff to both the Lagan Valley Hospital and Downe Hospital.  Advertisements have been placed in the local press, in addition to further contact being made with various recruitment agencies."

The Minister was also able to provide an update on the new primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) unit at Altnagelvin Hospital. He Stated:

"The introduction of the service in Belfast and at Altnagelvin will mean that patients having a heart attack will be taken directly to a cath lab that is capable of undertaking the procedure on a 24/7 basis.  That is a substantial step forward in Northern Ireland for heart attack victims.  It means that they will bypass emergency departments in other facilities and be taken directly to a cath lab."

During Topical Questions the Minister responded to questions on Firework Injuries, January Monitoring Round, E-cigarettes and Paediatric Congenital Cardiac Services.

You can read the full transcript on our website.

Find MLAs

Find your MLAs

Locate MLAs

Search

News and Media Centre

Visit the News and Media Centre

Read press releases, watch live and archived video

Find out more

Follow the Assembly

Follow the Assembly on our social media channels

Keep up-to-date with the Assembly

Find out more

Useful Contacts

Contact us

Contacts for different parts of the Assembly

Contact Us