Top Trust officials warn of ‘catastrophic’ budget crisis

ONE of the most senior medical officials in Tyrone has said that a failure to increase the current health budget will have ‘devastating impacts’ for local patients.

Dr Tom Frawley, Chairperson of the Western Trust was speaking during a meeting of the Western Health and Social Care Board last Thursday, after Cheif Executive Niel Guckian warned that the damage born of the underfunded budget could manifest in a ‘random way, given the nature of short-term financial planning’.

In recent weeks, Stormont’s proposed financial allocation to the health sector has come under intense fire, with some warning that the £184 million cut will result in a reduction in the number of hospital beds, as well as a shortage in care packages.

Pressure

Dr Frawley said, “Health services have endured a prolonged period of instability and pressure, and the escalating budgetary situation represents not only another destabilising factor, but I would suggest an existential risk to health and social care as it is currently funded.”

Dr Frawley continued to speak frankly about the financial crisis confronting patients, describing the potential impacts as ‘high and catastrophic’.

“We are deeply concerned by the financial allocation that we will have for frontline services during this next 12 months, and in particular the potential implications for some of the most vulnerable people in our community,” he said.

“It is our (chairpersons of the six trusts) duty to warn of the very real potential for avoidable and serious harm being caused to people in our community who require our help, as a result of the budget that was adopted by the Executive.”

Mr Frawley also commented on the implications of being forced to make drastic savings.

“I want to assure the public on behalf of this board that intensive efforts are ongoing to ensure a significant level of savings this year, and we have set ourselves some very testing targets.

“Even with the intense efforts made to identify these savings, a significant shortfall remains, that can only be filled by measures with high and catastrophic impacts on the services for which the board is responsible.

“Reductions in expenditure inevitably include bed closures as well as reductions in outpatient care, operating lists, domiciliary care and nursing care packages.

“Clearly such adverse effects would impact damagingly on the whole community in Northern Ireland, particularly on the most vulnerable.”

Investment

Mr Frawley then highlighted the need for reform and investment in medical technology, which he believes would help improve a health service that ‘drives our economy’.

“The reality is, however, that without significant remedial funding this year and longer term financial clarity about our funding going forward, our health service will be further destabilised, with – and this is the most worrying aspect of all of this – a further erosion of the public’s trust and confidence in health and social care.”