Debate contribution: Maternity and Children’s Hospital: Delays

Debate contribution by Ms Liz Kimmins on 26 November 2024.

MLA

Ms Liz Kimmins

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

26 November 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Maternity and Children’s Hospital: Delays

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4677373

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I support the motion. I will focus on the essential need for the hospital and on the transformative impact that it will have on the people of the North. At its core, the hospital represents more than just bricks and mortar: it is a lifeline for families and a place where children can receive the care that they need and where mothers can give birth in a state-of-the-art environment. The people of the North deserve a health service that prioritises them, and the facility is a cornerstone of that commitment. Every day, countless families navigate the challenges of accessing specialist maternity and paediatric care, often facing long waits or travelling outside their community for treatment. The new hospital has the potential to change that by offering centralised, world-class facilities that are equipped to handle complex cases and emergencies under one roof, which will provide not only better outcomes for patients but peace of mind for parents and caregivers. Furthermore, investing in a modern maternity and children's hospital will enable our healthcare professionals to work in an environment that supports innovation and best practice. Those staff members, who are the backbone of our health service, will benefit from the tools, technology and infrastructure required to deliver the highest standards of care. It is an investment not just in facilities but in people, patients and providers alike. We should not lose sight of the fact that the hospital is about giving children the best start in life and ensuring that mothers can access safe, timely care throughout pregnancy and childbirth. It is about equity in healthcare by ensuring that all families, regardless of their circumstances, have access to the support that they need when they need it most. While delays and setbacks are deeply disappointing, our focus must remain on the goal of delivering a world-class maternity and children's hospital that will serve generations to come. It is a project of hope, of vision and of immense importance to the people of the North that will enhance the huge talent and expertise that we have across all maternity services in the North. I urge us all to maintain the momentum and ensure the delivery of that vital facility. Let us keep our eyes on the bigger picture: the children and families who need the services. On the broader transformation piece, the recent Bengoa conference has hopefully refocused minds and reinvigorated the importance of the implementation of the transformation that our health service so desperately needs. The Health and Social Care (HSC) workforce across the board are frustrated with the lack of progress. Patients and their families need and deserve access to a more effective and efficient health service. He has been in post only a couple of months, but I acknowledge the Minister's commitment to delivering transformation. The Health Committee is keen to see that transformation happen at pace. There is no doubt that it is not a simple task. We cannot, however, continue to haemorrhage funds in managing the symptoms of the problems created by a lack of transformation. Spending huge sums of money on locums and agency staff, as well as the need to outsource services from the private and independent sector, is not the best use of public money. While that is unavoidable in many circumstances, we need a fundamental plan for stabilising and securing our workforce, a plan that values our extremely talented staff and ensures that they choose to stay in the North for the long term. Finally, I acknowledge that some of the transformation work has begun, but we have so much more to do. I look forward to continuing that work with the Minister and the Health Committee in the time ahead.

617 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:35 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

Disagree with this assessment?

Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.

Challenge this classification