Ulster Unionist MLA Robin Swann has expressed his concerns at the number of children being sent from Northern Ireland to England and the Republic of Ireland for cardiac procedures.

The North Antrim representative spoke after receiving a reply to an Assembly Question to the Health Minister regarding an assessment of the current air ambulance service provided to the Health Service.

Mr Swann said;

““I previously highlighted the number of children requiring cardiac procedures who had to travel to England and the Republic of Ireland rather than being treated in Belfast. In 2012 the number of paediatric cardiac procedures carried out on children in Belfast was 58 compared to 74 having to travel outside of the Province.

“This relates to very young and very often vulnerable children and their parents being taken away from their natural support network of families and friends and placed under even more stress as a result.  

“Earlier this week the media highlighted the case of a family whose young son was being transferred to London for cardiac treatment, and who had to be diverted to Liverpool when the aircraft developed a problem, which resulted in the child having to spend two weeks in a hospital in Liverpool. This could have been avoided had the child been treated in Belfast in the first place and I therefore asked the Health Minister about the procedures in place for transfers to Great Britain by air.

“I welcome the Minister’s assurance that “all aircraft involved in patient transfers are operated in full compliance with the current European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations, which includes a certificate of airworthiness and that all maintenance is carried out in accordance with the Civil Aviation Authority requirements.”

“This is the very least we should be able to expect, but the real answer is to take the necessary steps to ensure that more children are treated in Northern Ireland rather than having to travel via air ambulance to Great Britain.”