21 June 2001 Edition

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Hayes Acute Hospital Report - A radical challenge

Sinn Féin Assembly Health spokespersons, West Belfast's Sue Ramsey and Mid-Ulster's John Kelly, have given a guarded welcome to the Hayes Report on Acute Hospitals and have described the document as ``radical and comprehensive''.

They said: ``It is clear that radical change in how our acute hospitals are organised is required and that we need to see a dramatic increase in resources. The Hayes Report acknowledges this. For the first time we have a report on our acute hospitals that is both radical and comprehensive. This report is also a challenge to the Executive. Our hospitals suffer from a chronic underfunding, our per capita spending on health compares very poorly. The Hayes Report endorses the need to see a substantial increase in funding.

``The Report has broken with convention and offers proposals that will create significant change in how services are delivered and the key role of patients and service users in making decisions. The proposals will be judged on their ability to deliver equality of access to services.

``The report reflects some of the issues raised in Sinn Féin's submission to the Hayes Review. Acute care cannot be seen in isolation from primary care and this has been addressed. Acute care is not best served along the existing lines of Boards, Trusts or Borders and this has also been addressed.

``It is clear that a root and branch review of administration - Trusts and Boards - is required and we need to ensure that resources are not tied up in administration but instead are used to finance front line services. Less money should be spent on administration and more on nurses, doctors, medicines and operations.

``The report presents everyone who works in and uses our acute hospitals with a radical challenge. It is vital that we move beyond narrow politics in order to create the health service we all deserve.

``The challenge now is to ensure prompt action, effective leadership, meaningful consultation and increased resources to take forward these recommendations. We will take this document away and study in detail the proposals.''


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