McDevitt Concern Over Private Health Centres

SDLP Health Spokesperson Conall McDevitt has expressed concern that two privately funded health centres are to be opened in Lisburn and Newry.

The new £40m health care centres were announced by Health Minister Edwin Poots yesterday.

Minister Poots said the new centres will serve as hubs for the provision of health care in both communities.

"A key element of ongoing health care reform is the need to move services away from hospitals except where it is absolutely necessary and to develop service provision in the community so that people can access treatment closer to their own homes or, where possible, at home. The provision of these new facilities will assist that process," he commented.

But Mr McDevitt described the news as a "worrying development," and said it confirmed "the worst fears of so many people that the Minister’s recent consultation on Transforming Your Care was an exercise in creeping privatisation of the NHS.

"The Minister seems determined to undermine the founding principles of the NHS as a service which was established to deliver free healthcare at the point of need."

Mr McDevitt continued: "The SDLP are gravely concerned at the shift from patient centred care to profit driven care, which will undoubtedly accompany the Minister’s privatisation drive, and which could have a devastating impact on healthcare provision in this region.

"I am calling on the Minister to allay these concerns by introducing legislation which will ring fence the extent to which the private sector will have in the NHS going forward, and assuring the public that healthcare will remain publicly owned and publicly provided."

There has so far been no further comment from Mr Poots.

(IT/CD)