A range of issues regarding the review of health services in Northern Ireland have been raised with the Chief Executive of the Southern Health and Social Care Trust by an SDLP delegation which met with her recently. Party representatives discussing implications of the Compton Report with Trust Chief Mairead McAlinden included SDLP Deputy Leader Dolores Kelly, MLAs Dominic Bradley and Karen McKevitt, councillors Sean Rogers and John McArdle and Newry Branch chair Gary Stokes. Speaking afterwards Mr Rogers who was one of the leaders in the campaign for the retention of Slieveroe residential care home said he was concerned at Compton’s views on residential care. “In my experience families and residents are very content about the level and standard of care available too them in residential accommodation and they would take a very dim view of proposals to close highly regarded facilities,” he said. All of this raises the question of consultation on the Compton proposals. Will we be afforded the right to express our views on them or will they be railroaded through. The SDLP will be responding in full to the review and we believe that these proposals should be full consulted on.
Newry Democrat
17th January 2012
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