Debate contribution: Cross-border Healthcare Scheme
Debate contribution by Mr Mike Nesbitt on .
- MLA
- Mr Mike Nesbitt
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 18 February 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Cross-border Healthcare Scheme
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4806431
Read the official Assembly record
Text
It would be if I had the funding, but I gently remind the Member of what I said earlier. We made a bid of £135 million to tackle our waiting lists. That included a significant sum to treat — the figure of 4,000 patients springs to mind. I would love to be able to do it. It was popular. It was successful. It made sense and it took a big chunk out of a number of waiting lists. What was not to like about it? Unfortunately, all budgets are constrained and limited, and I cannot make it a priority when I have a £400 million gap in my projected spend according to the draft Budget 2025-26. My two priorities, frankly, are to avoid having to make any cuts that fall into the "catastrophic" category, such as closing an intensive care bed in an acute hospital, and to avoid industrial action by staff.
152 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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