West Belfast Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Adams calls for action by Health Minister on Royal Women's and Children's Hospital

Published: 1 September, 2008


Gerry Adams is seeking an urgent meeting with Michael McGimpsey, the Minister of Health, to discuss the need for the Health department to "take immediate and urgent steps to ensure that the new Regional Women's and Children's Hospital at the Royal is prioritised in any review of current and future spending by the Department; and that in the first instance, funding is cleared (approx.£32m) to begin the essential work of clearing the site on the Royal which is required for construction work to commence."

In recent months the west Belfast MP and party colleagues including Sue Ramsey MLA and Jennifer McCann MLA, have met with senior managers for the Belfast Health Trust, visited the Children's Hospital and the Royal Jubilee Maternity, and held a briefing at the Assembly with Health officials and the Maternity Liaison Committee, as well as with the architect of the proposed new regional hospital.

Many sections of the existing Children's hospital and the Maternity are too old. Consequently, the health risks to expectant and delivering mothers, to babies and young children, will increase if the new hospital is not given the priority it requires.

A previous Health Minister, Sinn Féin's Bairbre de Brún, announced in 2002 the construction of the Regional Women's and Children's Hospital. The hospital was costed at around £400m to build. This was later confirmed by a British Direct rule Minister.

However, in response to questions from Sinn Féin, Mr. McGimpsey admitted last November that the new hospital is not within the current three year spending period of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

In April the Minister again raised a serious question about the construction of the regional children and womens hospital beyond the current three year spending review. The Minister refused to provide a "timetable for the completion of the new hospital at this stage."

This failure by the Department of Health to give the Regional Women's and Children's Hospital the urgent priority it requires is having a profound and adverse knock- on effect on planning by the Department, Health Boards and Trusts for maternity and children's services across the north.

West Belfast MP Gerry Adams said:

"I have had the opportunity to visit the existing hospitals and to witness the care and compassion given by nurses and doctors to some of the most vulnerable infants. When it comes to a persons life chances, the first days and first years make a huge impact. So this hospital project is not about buildings - it is about people.

The Minister has himself acknowledged that the new hospital 'is badly needed'.

He now has to take the urgent decisions needed and provide the funding necessary to prepare the site for the new hospital, and he must announce the capital investment needed to ensure that this project goes ahead in years 4 to 7 of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

This is a huge health project that is critical to health provision for women and children in the North in the decades ahead. It cannot be put on the long finger. It requires decisive and strategic decisions to be taken by the Minister.