16 October 2025

SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA has warned of an impending crisis facing the health service due to the late publication of a winter pressures health plan.

The Health Minister said a plan would be published on Thursday, but would still need to be finalised.

South Belfast MLA Matthew O’Toole said:

“We are in the middle of October, winter is mere weeks away and we are still without a finalised winter health pressures plan. Year after year we have called for the Minister to bring this plan forward in a timely manner, we have asked the Minister repeatedly for updates and come forward with proposals of our own, yet here we are again in the exact same position with no lessons learned.

“The Minister has said a plan is set to be brought forward today – but it is yet to be finalised. He said we are also waiting on individual plans from health trusts. When will this be finalised? In the middle of winter when staff are at breaking point and sick patients face unacceptably long waits in emergency departments? How can we expect our health service to prepare for what has become a yearly crisis when it is in the middle of it. This confusion raises serious questions about how the Health Minister has handled this plan.

“The Minister said this week our health service is not broken. He should tell that to the patients spending years on waiting lists or the health staff having to fight for their well-deserved pay rise. Our health service is only operating because of the sacrifices and dedication of our staff and has little to do with Ministers or an Executive who have failed health since Stormont’s return.”