Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has passed a motion to save service but move labelled 'nimbyism' politics
Castlereagh councillors have clashed over a motion to save an "essential" Belfast out of hours GP service amid claims of "nimbyism" politics holding back health reform.
READ MORE: Lisburn & Castlereagh motion to "fast track" HIV diagnosis labelled "discriminatory" by DUP. Castlereagh South DUP rep, Brian Higginson brought the motion forward, saying: "I am fully aware of the challenges the Belfast Trust is facing as they plan for future health needs. I believe that it is imperative that any restructuring plans must be clinically led.
"The Belfast Trust rational for removal of Knockbreda would appear to be driven by budgetary restraints and not the best clinical led service for patients." "This proposal will have major implications on the people I represent. We cannot be under any illusion that this is not a serious matter to be dealt with an will affect thousands of people. Saving this health service is paramount to support the ongoing pressures in an already heavily restrained health service."
But Castlereagh East Alliance Alderman, Martin Gregg said: "All parties speak of the need to reform the health service and that we need to take the politics out of the health. And yet when something happens on their own patch they relent. SDLP called on reforms for Daisy Hill hospital to be rolled back and here we have the DUP calling for these changes not to happen.
He added: "I recognise that every transition is difficult, but reform will be impossible if every decision made by Trusts in their own backyard is challenged by councillors. It will never be completed if we don't let them start. Reform is the only way we will create the higher quality and more efficient health service that our constituents deserve.
DUP SDLP Sinn Fein Ulster Unionist Party Castlereagh East Belfast Lisburn North Belfast South Belfast Alliance Party Belfast Trust Health
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