This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28978667

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Health service cuts could be 'catastrophic' says NI GP Health service cuts could be 'catastrophic' says NI GP
(about 1 hour later)
Potential cuts to the health service outlined in a paper seen by the BBC could be "catastrophic" to patient care, a Northern Ireland GP has said.Potential cuts to the health service outlined in a paper seen by the BBC could be "catastrophic" to patient care, a Northern Ireland GP has said.
Dr Tom Black said he had "never seen anything as threatening for the health service". Dr Tom Black said he had "never seen anything as threatening" to health care and patients' lives could be at risk.
The paper shows that cuts could restrain pay for health sector staff, lower the number of agency staff and reduce spending on home care packages.The paper shows that cuts could restrain pay for health sector staff, lower the number of agency staff and reduce spending on home care packages.
The Health Minister Edwin Poots said his department faces a £140m shortfall. Health Minister Edwin Poots said his department faces a £140m shortfall.
In a letter to the chair of the health committee, the minister said the paper highlighted to the executive the significant detrimental impacts of the cuts to the health service.In a letter to the chair of the health committee, the minister said the paper highlighted to the executive the significant detrimental impacts of the cuts to the health service.
He added that he wants the public to be fully informed of the seriousness of the position.He added that he wants the public to be fully informed of the seriousness of the position.
'Under pressure''Under pressure'
Speaking on BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme on Friday, Dr Black, who is chair of the GP committee in the British Medical Association (BMA), said it was difficult to see how the health service could sustain the cuts. Speaking on BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme on Friday, Dr Black, who is chair of the GP committee in the British Medical Association (BMA), said he believed patients' lives would be at risk if the cuts were enforced.
"We see here cuts totalling £140m in a system which is already under huge pressure," he said. "I think patients' lives will be put at risk by this. I have no doubt," he said.
"We see here cuts totalling £140m in a system which is already under huge pressure.
"Hospitals and general practice are under pressure from work and from lack of resources already. I don't think we can stand or sustain a cut of £140m. Patient care will come to harm."Hospitals and general practice are under pressure from work and from lack of resources already. I don't think we can stand or sustain a cut of £140m. Patient care will come to harm.
"We'll see long waits at A&E, long waits in general practice, long waits in GP out-of-hours."We'll see long waits at A&E, long waits in general practice, long waits in GP out-of-hours.
"Outpatient appointment times will get longer, patients will wait longer for operations and in some cases, probably not get them.""Outpatient appointment times will get longer, patients will wait longer for operations and in some cases, probably not get them."
He said the biggest change would be the £16.5m cuts for locum doctors and bank nurses. He said the biggest change would be £16.5m cuts for locum doctors and bank nurses, NHS employees who can provide shift cover at short notice.
"That's the glue that holds the system together, that's how you keep things moving... If we don't have that 16.5m for them, you will see things grinding to a halt. "That's the glue that holds the system together, that's how you keep things moving... If we don't have that £16.5m for them, you will see things grinding to a halt," he said.
"I think patient's lives will be put at risk by this. I have no doubt." 'Across the board'
Garrett Martin from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said the cuts would have "detrimental and severe consequences on the health and well-being of people in Northern Ireland".
He said: "This paper doesn't actually go into significant detail in terms of the real impact it would have.
"We're talking about wards not being adequately staffed. We already have problems with that and this would be compounded.
"We would have district nursing teams depleted and not able to carry out their duties to the degree that they need to, and should be. Domiciliary care would also be drastically cut."
He added that the cuts would affect health care "across the board" and that decisions needed to be made immediately.
"These (cuts) would have a real impact on people's lives," he said.
"If you look at these proposals they go across a spectrum of health care from older people's services, people who have cancer, people with mental health problems, and even across children and young people's services.
"Decisions need to be made and we need to move forward here with a health service we can be proud of."