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Health

The SDLP is committed to a well resourced National Health Service, with excellent and efficient healthcare, delivered free at the point of need.

We believe better organisation in the NHS would mean shorter waiting lists, more hospital beds, more efficient A&E departments and more appropriate staff in frontline services.

We have raised serious objections regarding the current Budget which demands ‘efficiency savings' across the board; we interpret these as cuts to frontline services, such as nursing and ambulances. We will continue to fight for better service provision and to protect patients' rights, ensuring that savings come from the Executive's bureaucracy bill, not frontline services.

The SDLP believes cross-border cooperation would provide better service for patients in the North. Within an island of 6 million people, it makes sense to share expertise and equipment. We are committed to improved cross border arrangements regarding acute hospitals and GP out-of-hours services. Read "North South Makes Sense."

We want additional resources dedicated to the prevention and treatment of cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, obesity and diabetes, which are among the largest causes of mortality in Northern Ireland.

The SDLP views increases in these conditions as partly caused by environmental factors such as poor air quality, low-cost, low-standard food, a poorly-designed natural environment and over-reliance on cars, which limits walking and cycling. We will continue to highlight that strong environmental - and therefore health - protection is crucial.

Conall McDevitt

Issue Spokesperson

Conall McDevitt (MLA)

Email c.mcdevitt@sdlp.ie Tel 028 9068 3535
View Conall's Profile

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