Every imported question, contribution and motion, with its classification. Unflagged, uncertain and not-yet-analysed records are all included so the analysis can be checked independently.
The Minister mentioned demand for private practice, but there is an impact on that demand, because people cannot register for NHS services. What can the Minister do to make it easier for people to find out which local dentists accept new NHS patients, without having to ring round up to 10 practices to find out what is…
I thank the Member for his follow-up question. I regularly meet representative bodies of the various branches of Health and Social Care, all of which have concerns. They have concerns about their budget, about the cost of services and about the amount of money that we can devote to them. In fairness, all of them are…
I thank the Minister for his response. The Minister said that he met the British Dental Association. Its representatives have outlined their concerns about the funding of the service. What action will the Minister take to put in place a general dentistry model that reflects the true cost of dental care?
With your permission, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, I will answer questions 2 and 12 together. I acknowledge the challenges facing many patients, particularly those not registered with a dental practice, in accessing dental care when they need it. One of the underlying reasons for that is that general dental…
I thank the Member for her supplementary question. As I said, there is an EAP, but it is available only from one of the 23 participating so-called NorthStar clinical centres in the United Kingdom. That programme is a clinical network of UK-wide healthcare professionals who are focusing on the best clinical management…
I thank the Member for sharing his personal experience. Unfortunately, a number of families in my area of Coalisland also have children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. There is a pathway to bring in medication prior to NICE —.
I am aware of the young boy whom the Member has mentioned, and my sympathies lie with him. However, I have to progress within the rules and recommendations and do so safely. The Belfast Trust provides a regional paediatric neuromuscular service through the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, and that would…
A 12-year-old Newry boy, Alfie Pentony, has inspired us all with his impassioned and courageous campaign to raise awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Access to givinostat would dramatically improve outcomes for children such as Alfie. However, given the Minister's earlier comments, what action can his Department…
First of all, I was entirely unaware of your brother. I pass on my condolences to you. I do not want to provide false hope. It is up to NICE to decide whether it is safe to administer or recommend givinostat. NICE is a non-departmental public body (NDPB). It is sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care…
My apologies, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker: I beg your indulgence to mention my late brother Adrian. I simply cannot let the moment go without doing so. I recall his diagnosis and his days with Duchenne very clearly. I remember him with pride and gratitude for having had him as a brother. We have made some progress…
One of my duties is to ensure that Northern Ireland has timely access to clinically effective and cost-effective medicines. We do that through a formal link with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). As givinostat is a new treatment, routine access in the Health and Social Care (HSC) system is…
I do not have the precise figures for the Member right now, but I will get them. I know that they were released in a question for written answer to her colleague Michelle Guy. There has been a significant decrease in the number of individuals who have not had their safeguarding paperwork carried out. The Member can be…
I know that some schools in Northern Ireland have, for example, incorporated elements of the Michaela approach. So, yes, you can disseminate that best practice. Importantly, the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) has a key role to play in Northern Ireland when it comes to identifying best practice and sharing…
It is always important to reflect on not only the expertise that exists in our country — there is expertise — but what is happening in other areas. I had the opportunity to visit a number of different schools, one of which was the Michaela Community School in London. The principal there is heralded as the strictest…
I am happy to take up the case that the Member has brought to my attention. I have engaged directly with the Department for Infrastructure on behalf of some other schools. I am sure that the Minister for that Department is listening and will want to respond. I certainly will ask my officials to engage with the Member…
Minister, it was disappointing that representatives from DFI did not attend the meeting this morning to give us their thinking on what can be done in the form of a solution. Will the Minister engage directly with the Department for Infrastructure to expedite this and find a solution?
The Member highlights a challenge due to speeding motorists that, unfortunately, is not unique to Fivemiletown Primary School. I appeal to those who are driving past schools to slow down and take their environment into account. Often, road safety measures are only as good as the individual behind the wheel of the car.…
It is a challenge that I have. Colleagues around the Executive table all have challenges, but, in Education, they are particularly acute. The latest assessment of the draft Budget for my Department indicates an inescapable resource pressure totalling £261 million. The £261 million shortfall means that the Department…
Looking to the next financial year, Minister, you secured important commitments in the Programme for Government, but they will require Executive resourcing. Will you outline the implications of the draft Budget for your Department?
I thank the Member for that question because it raises the important issue of the financial needs that we have, and I have spoken about those already. The challenges that we are facing in the current financial year are difficult. We are facing an overspend but are working incredibly hard with the Education Authority…
When I look at the issue, I ask myself how we can support children and young people who are coming through the education system. I have been in schools that demonstrate to me how, as they create those post-19 pathways, they work with the Department for the Economy and, in some cases, Health to make the transition…
I thank the Minister for his answer. I know that he is absolutely honourable in his commitment to the matter. However, we have only two years left of the mandate. Will he outline what he believes is achievable in the mandate, and given that this is how I would proceed, does he agree that the Department of Education…
I thank the Member for raising that matter. I will attend and speak at an event on Wednesday evening in the Long Gallery. I met Alma, Caleb's mum, and I absolutely understand her concerns. They speak to the need for many of our Departments, including Education, Economy and Health, to work together on the issue so…