Debate contribution: Domiciliary Care Packages: Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Debate contribution by Ms Cara Hunter on .
- MLA
- Ms Cara Hunter
- Party at the time
- Social Democratic and Labour Party
- Date
- 13 February 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Adjournment
- Heading
- Domiciliary Care Packages: Northern Health and Social Care Trust
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4206566
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I congratulate you in your role, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I congratulate the Minister, who has been reappointed to his position. We wish him well. I also thank the Member for Mid Ulster for securing this important debate. I acknowledge the many difficulties and challenges that the Minister will have in the coming months. It is important that we are here to discuss domiciliary care, as the issue is faced by so many constituents. In my time as an MLA, I have certainly come across hundreds of families, as Mr Patsy McGlone touched on, that are unbelievably affected by it. I want to tell one of their stories. I have a constituent called DJ Calvert; Members may have heard his story. He is based in Portstewart. DJ is an absolute gentleman in every sense. He was born without hands or legs. Months ago, he was told that he would no longer have access to a care package or a care worker. DJ requires a care worker to help him shower and get dressed. Those are two key things that each of us does every day, so I genuinely cannot imagine how he must have felt when he was told that that help would potentially be taken away. DJ's fear was that that would force him to move into a care home, which, he said, showed that the social care system was failing. Thankfully, DJ has been told that a care package has been sourced for him that will allow him to continue to live life independently in his own home. That is a huge part of the issue: getting people the right care that they need to live high-quality lives, which they so rightfully deserve, out of hospital and in the comfort of their own homes. This is a good news story, but, for so many others, as was mentioned around the Chamber, it does not always end up the way that we want it to. I cover the Northern Trust and the Western Trust. This is an issue that surpasses the Northern Trust: it affects the Western Trust as well, specifically in rural areas like Limavady, Greysteel, Feeny and Claudy. I agree with my colleague Mr McGlone: there is a rural dynamic to the issue. Getting care workers into those communities is a real challenge. I want to touch on the importance of supporting our carers, who are so selfless. I saw the role that carers played with my late grandparents and the challenges and family dynamics in the home when the care package is not there. I really need to highlight that this is about quality of life and dignity. One Member touched on respite services. They are truly in crisis. I am working with a family who have been waiting months for support. I have to put on record the crisis in that area. Minister, I know that this is an issue that you care about. I ask you to do all that you can to engage with the trust on the issue to ensure that no one suffers the indignity and uncertainty of life without access to a care package.
524 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.92).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.92 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 1.00 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 09:36 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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