Debate contribution: Paediatric Pathology Services

Debate contribution by Mrs Linda Dillon on 13 January 2026.

MLA

Mrs Linda Dillon

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

13 January 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Paediatric Pathology Services

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5316358

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle.

I thank all the Members who have spoken to the motion today, and the Minister for responding. I reiterate his words about the tone of the debate.

There is little difference between what anybody in the Chamber has said. As I rise to wind on the motion, my sense of responsibility is much the same as everybody else's. This is not an abstract policy issue; it is about the children and the bereaved parents and families and about how we, as a society, respond at the very moment that families are at their most vulnerable.

For far too long, we have had no paediatric pathology service here. That means that, when the unthinkable happens and a child dies in circumstances that require a post-mortem examination, families are told that their child must go to England. Let us be clear about what that means in real life. It means that families who are already shattered by grief are asked to consent to their child's body being transported to another country. It means delays in funeral arrangements. It means additional paperwork, additional waiting and additional uncertainty. For many families, it means additional trauma and the unbearable pain of knowing that their child is alone, far from home, at the very time that the family want to go through the grieving process and make funeral arrangements. They need to be close to their child. No family should have to endure that on top of their loss. We often talk in the Chamber about trauma-informed services and about dignity and compassion in healthcare. We cannot accept a situation that adds avoidable distress to families at the worst moment of their lives. It is not good enough. The motion rightly acknowledges that the Department of Health has commissioned an independent evaluation, accepted 21 recommendations and is exploring options, including all-island collaboration. That is welcome. However, acknowledgement is not action; exploration is not implementation; and families cannot be comforted by process alone. Families need certainty. They need to know that this essential service will be restored. They need to know when, how and on what basis it will be restored. I want to address the issue of all-island collaboration directly, because I want to be absolutely clear: this is not about ideology or constitutional arguments; it is about what is practical, workable, compassionate and the right thing to do. If we can work together to create a resilient, sustainable, safe service, that is what we must do. If the expertise, capacity and sustainability of paediatric pathology services can best be achieved through cooperation across the island, it is our duty to pursue that and to support the Minister in doing so, not because of symbolism but because of service delivery and because of people. When a family have just lost a child, they ask, "Will our child be treated with dignity? Will we get answers? Will we be spared further suffering?". An all-island approach, if it delivers timely, high-quality care closer to home, is not a political statement but a humane one. We owe it to the children whose lives were too short; we owe it to the families, who deserve answers without added trauma; and we owe it to ourselves as legislators to ensure that our health system reflects not only clinical competence but basic, human decency. Philip and others outlined the workforce challenges across these islands. If anything, that makes it even more important to look at how we create a sustainable, safe service on the island, wherever that may be, North or South. It is clear from the figures that have been quoted that the option of using Alder Hey may not be open to us in the future, because, if there are serious workforce challenges in England, babies in England will be prioritised — I understand that — in the same way as we will prioritise our babies, children and families here, as is our responsibility. I want to understand — Órlaithí spoke about it — about all-island workforce planning and training in specialities and not just in paediatric pathology services, although that is what we are talking to today. I would be happy to give way to the Minister, when I have finished my speech, if he wants to answer on whether discussions have been had with the Minister in the South around workforce planning and training for this speciality. It is not just about how we develop the service; it is about whether we have looked at it from the very beginning. Colm and others also referred to that, and it is important to acknowledge it. Results are important for parents, particularly when planning future pregnancies. Both Diane and Sinéad referred to that. It is an extremely important issue. I thank other Members, including Alan, for their empathetic comments and understanding of what the motion is about. It is about delivering for families. It is about making sure that we — the Assembly, the legislature, the Health Department and the Minister — do not create additional trauma for families where it need not be the case. Colm identified that the combined population North and South is required to sustain the service, so, again, I am happy to let the Minister reference that issue around workforce planning. I am glad to hear from the Minister's commentary that, on this occasion, the issue is not money but workforce, and it is about how we deliver the service in the best possible way; I acknowledge that. The Minister said that his Department had worked closely with the Sands and Cruse bereavement services, and it is important that we acknowledge them, because, when families have to make the decisions, they absolutely need support from specialist services not only to cope with the trauma but to deal with the logistics. There are organisations out there that help them with that, and it is important that we acknowledge them. Again, I am happy to give way to the Minister if he wants to respond to this point: I appreciate that the scoping work is ongoing, but we are seven years down the line. I would really appreciate it if the Committee could have regular updates on the scoping work, with timelines, outcomes and recommendations, because that is where we need to be. I accept that there is no quick fix — I totally understand that — but we need to know what the fix is and how long it will take.

I have offered the Minister the opportunity to intervene, but, from his reference to that issue at the end of his commentary, my understanding is that they are supported to travel with their children. Does the Minister want to address that point?

1,124 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:18 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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