01/02/2023
DoH Calls For 'Respectful Public Debate' On Future Of Healthcare
The Department of Health (DoH) have called for a "respectful public debate" on the future of health and social care services.
Making the call, the DoH said: "Communities rightly value local services very highly and are fully entitled to strongly advocate for their retention.
"However, vigorous debate should not spill over into personal abuse and vilification. Likewise, questioning the honesty or motivations of public officials is not acceptable.
"It is a reality of modern medicine that every hospital in Northern Ireland cannot provide every hospital service.
"This has been set out in detail in relation to general surgery by the Northern Ireland wide review published by the Department last June.
"Some medical specialties require larger catchment areas and a certain level of patient numbers. This facilitates greater specialisation by clinicians, better recruitment and retention of staff, and more durable and safer care.
"Securing the optimum distribution of hospital services – the right care, in the right place, at the right time – is an extremely difficult and challenging task."
Making the call, the DoH said: "Communities rightly value local services very highly and are fully entitled to strongly advocate for their retention.
"However, vigorous debate should not spill over into personal abuse and vilification. Likewise, questioning the honesty or motivations of public officials is not acceptable.
"It is a reality of modern medicine that every hospital in Northern Ireland cannot provide every hospital service.
"This has been set out in detail in relation to general surgery by the Northern Ireland wide review published by the Department last June.
"Some medical specialties require larger catchment areas and a certain level of patient numbers. This facilitates greater specialisation by clinicians, better recruitment and retention of staff, and more durable and safer care.
"Securing the optimum distribution of hospital services – the right care, in the right place, at the right time – is an extremely difficult and challenging task."
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.