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Cuts 'will not hit patient care' Cuts 'will not deflect from care'
(about 6 hours later)
Northern Ireland's chief medical officer has said that health cuts will not stop hospitals providing the best quality care. NI's chief medical officer has said health cuts will not stop hospitals providing the best quality care.
There have been warnings from unions that proposals for efficiency savings have left the health service in crisis. Unions have warned that proposals for efficiency savings have left the health service in crisis.
The Belfast Trust is suspending using the private sector for operations and there are changes to services in the Northern Trust area. The Belfast Trust is suspending private operations while the Northern Trust has moved complex surgery services.
Dr Michael McBride said patients would not suffer because of the moves. Dr Michael McBride said: "None of us in health will be deflected from our primary purpose to provide the best quality treatment and care we can."
"None of us in health will be deflected from our primary purpose to provide the best quality treatment and care that we can for the population and what we are determined to do is secure the resources to do that," he said. He added: "What we are determined to do is secure the resources to do that."
The Belfast Health Trust said it was suspending using the private sector for operations, because of a shortage of money.The Belfast Health Trust said it was suspending using the private sector for operations, because of a shortage of money.
Earlier this week it emerged it may cut 152 beds at two hospitals in the city.Earlier this week it emerged it may cut 152 beds at two hospitals in the city.
The Northern Trust said it would move complex surgery cases from Whiteabbey and Mid-Ulster hospitals to Antrim and Causeway hospitals.The Northern Trust said it would move complex surgery cases from Whiteabbey and Mid-Ulster hospitals to Antrim and Causeway hospitals.
Parking charges are also to be introduced at the Antrim and Causeway sites.Parking charges are also to be introduced at the Antrim and Causeway sites.
DUP assembly member Jim Wells said that charging for hospital car parking was unfair.DUP assembly member Jim Wells said that charging for hospital car parking was unfair.
"The people that are going to end up paying for this are people visiting sick relatives and low paid members of staff; porters, technicians and people like that, I think it is a tax on the ill and unacceptable in a rural situation," he said."The people that are going to end up paying for this are people visiting sick relatives and low paid members of staff; porters, technicians and people like that, I think it is a tax on the ill and unacceptable in a rural situation," he said.
"In somewhere like the hospitals in Belfast people are using the (hospital) car parks as cheap all day parking to go shopping etc, and that's not acceptable and it is right to charge in those situations."In somewhere like the hospitals in Belfast people are using the (hospital) car parks as cheap all day parking to go shopping etc, and that's not acceptable and it is right to charge in those situations.
"But in Antrim and the Causeway, and my own situation in Down, it is unjustified.""But in Antrim and the Causeway, and my own situation in Down, it is unjustified."
The Department of Health in Northern Ireland is committed to making efficiency savings of £700m over the next three years.The Department of Health in Northern Ireland is committed to making efficiency savings of £700m over the next three years.
On top of that several trusts have deficits which they need to reduce.On top of that several trusts have deficits which they need to reduce.