Ulster Unionist Health Spokesperson, Roy Beggs, has called on the Health Minister, Edwin Poots to make good his commitment to the Northern Ireland Hospice and provide £2 million of funding to secure a facility at Somerton House in North Belfast.
The East Antrim MLA said,
“Five months after promising the Northern Ireland Hospice that he would provide £2 million of the £11 million of funding which is necessary to provide a new facility at Somerton House, it`s time for Edwin Poots to make good this commitment. Time is running out with a deadline of July before match funding from Atlantic Philanthropies is also lost.
“The Northern Ireland Hospice provides care which is second to none and their hard working staff have to contend with enough without the Department of Health increasing the pressure on them by dragging its feet on a commitment made last November. The lack of haste shown by the Minister is regrettable.
"Wrong decisions are being made all too often in the health service, not least in recent days with the decision to close residential homes and the threat to children’s cardiac services in Belfast. I would urge Edwin Poots to deliver immediately for what is a priority project in the Northern Ireland Hospice and finally fulfil his promise to this most worthwhile of charities.”