Nurses in 'bring back Stormont' plea to tackle NI's crisis-hit health service
NHS workers call for investment in 70th anniversary week
By Sarah McKinley
Nurses and other NHS workers are urging politicians to restore Stormont for the sake of Northern Ireland’s health service.
In the week when the NHS marks its 70th anniversary, campaigners from across the province are calling for more investment and better pay for workers in the crisis-hit service.
Nurses want protection of a fully funded health service “from cot to grave”, citing the dangers of privatisation.
They are also urging the politicians here to get back to work and restore the devolved government.
All of this comes as part of UK wide events marking this significant birthday– the NHS was born in 1948 following the war with the idea that proper healthcare should be available to all, regardless of wealth.
Alison Millar is the general secretary of NIPSA, one of the largest trade unions here.
Although she said she was celebrating the last 70 years, she said she was looking to the future.
Speaking during a rally outside the Mater Hospital in Belfast she said:
“Our Health Service is in crisis, our health staff are at crisis point and with no Assembly or Health Minister it appears NI is paralysed.
"It is not acceptable that our politicians stand idly by and not address the real crisis. We need more funding, we need leadership and we need a properly funded and proper and meaningful pay increase for all Health Service Workers."