Greater Resources needed for Outpatient Services - Rodgers
UUP candidate for East Belfast Jim Rodgers has said that an incoming Health Minister to the devolved Assembly must carry out an urgent review of outpatient ambulance services.
Mr Rodgers said: “In particular, we must examine the provision of ambulances for people that either can’t afford or are unable to use taxis to attend outpatient appointments. These ambulances are meant to be ordered through the patient’s GP, but they are increasingly finding that these services are completely booked out already when requested – meaning that the patient has no way of attending their long awaited hospital appointments, which are often critical to their health.
“The devolved Assembly must consider this issue. There is a long enough wait for hospital appointments in the province and these critical appointment times are just being wasted due to under-funding of ambulance services.
“It is just shocking that the government hasn’t provided enough funding to the ambulance services to look after those who are most in need in our society. This is a situation that demands urgent attention in a newly restored Assembly.”