Sinn Féin's health spokesperson and North Antrim MLA Philip McGuigan has urged the Health Minister to ensure greater transparency, rigorous scrutiny and genuine public participation in decisions on hospital services, stressing that reforms must be evidence-led and focused on patients.

Philip McGuigan said: "It is clear that our health service must change, but any change must always be driven by clinical evidence and the best interests of patients. It cannot simply become a cover for centralising services or reducing provision. "The proposed Independent Reconfiguration Committee could ensure public confidence in future decisions, provided it is genuinely independent, has access to all relevant evidence and ensures the voices of clinicians, patients, healthcare workers and local communities are heard.

"As Chair of the Health Committee, I will seek further detail on the remit, membership and timescale for establishing the new committee and will continue to scrutinise proposals for hospital reform. I think it is important that it acts with urgency to ensure patient safety isn't compromised and that staff are provided with certainty.

"We need reform, but it must be properly funded, planned on a whole-system basis and undertaken with the best for patient outcomes, regardless of where they live, as the desired outcome."