THE future of the Mater Hospital in North Belfast is secure, Health Minister Robin Swann has said.
North Belfast MLA Carál Ní Chuilín this week raised the question during an Assembly session after campaigning for the full restoration of services at the Crumlin Road hospital throughout the pandemic.
Health Minister Robin Swann responded: "I do not know where the Member has got that intimation, because I have always been clear in the House that we need every square foot of our hospital provision.
"The Member has heard me say that many times. I can assure any Member in the House of that.
"Recently, I have seen Members on social media and in print media talking about hospital closures and threats to hospitals.
"There is no such thing. No such thing has happened or has even been intimated under my stewardship of the Ministry, because we need every bit of our hospital estate.
"We actually need to invest more in our hospital estate."
Speaking to the North Belfast News, Ms Ní Chuilín said:“I welcome the assurances in the Assembly from the Health Minister that North Belfast’s Mater Hospital is not under threat of closure after recent speculation about its future.
“Throughout the pandemic we have campaigned to ensure that the Mater is safe and that services will be fully restored at the earliest possible opportunity.
“The Mater Hospital is an essential health facility and one of our biggest employers in North Belfast and unhelpful speculation about its future has been worrying for both patients and staff.
“I took the opportunity to raise the future of the Mater Hospital with the Health Minister in the Assembly to put to bed some of these rumours.
“Clearly there are serious concerns about the health service and particularly workforce planning which we have raised repeatedly.
“However these management and structural concerns should not be used as a reason to downgrade services at local hospitals such as the Mater.
“Our front-line health care workers have been absolutely outstanding during the pandemic and need our full support now and into the future.
“Workers, patients, public representatives and trade unions must be united in our determination to return all services back to the Mater Hospital when the pandemic eases and this assurance from the Health Minister will come as a relief to us all.”
