Debate contribution: Health
Debate contribution by Mr Mike Nesbitt on .
- MLA
- Mr Mike Nesbitt
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 15 June 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Question for Urgent Oral Answer
- Heading
- Health
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5614284
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I expect risk assessments to be done on a case-by-case basis. I am aware of one care home — I do not want to identify it — where the workforce is 85% international colleagues. They were extremely worried, and there was a question about whether that would impact on service delivery in that home. On Tuesday night, I received an early alert from the Mater Hospital; it was concerned about staffing in the emergency department dropping below safe levels. Thankfully, that did not happen, but there was a risk that the emergency department of the Mater Hospital would have to close on Tuesday night, leaving the entire Belfast Health and Social Care Trust with one emergency department for the capital city. The Fire Service was impeded from attending fires, and some firefighters were physically attacked. If you think about it, a mob of rioters intent on burning a building will of course try to stop the Fire Service, because it is intent on putting that fire out. Thankfully, I do not think that the Ambulance Service got it as hard, but it was doing things that nobody should have to do in a First World country a quarter of the way into the 21st century.
205 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Awaiting analysis
This record has not been analysed yet. It is not counted in any total until it has been assessed.
Disagree with this assessment?
Classifications can be challenged. A person reviews every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.