SDLP Foyle Assembly candidate Mark H Durkan has said it is time to remove partisan politics from the debate over the future of the Health Service.
Mr Durkan (pictured), who is seeking to retain his seat at Stormont, the health service wa one of the core public services that “we all rely on.”
He added “Our doctors, nurses and other staff perform a first class, incredibly professional service that we should all be proud of.
“That’s why the SDLP is committed to awarding a fair and well deserved consolidated pay rise to nurses and other medical staff. These people are our health service, an investment in them is an investment in a better system.
“But we all know the health service has struggled to deal with acute and domiciliary care. We’re supporting the redistribution of services from acute settings into community care to a total of £83million.
“ We’ll also end the inappropriate use of 15 minute care visits and establish a new price regulator to ensure that domiciliary care providers receive an appropriate hourly rate that represents value for money for the health service.”
Mr Durkan concluded: “Partisan political bickering has held back progress on delivering better health outcomes. That’s why we’re calling for politics to be removed from this and for all parties to come round the table and come to a consensus that puts patients and clinicians first.”
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