NI doctors’ leader in call for end to ‘dysfunction’ as he blasts our politicians
function we see in our health system. Last year I spoke with optimism about a ‘blueprint’ for reconfiguring our health system, the much anticipated Bengoa Report.
“Last autumn Professor Bengoa published his analysis. It outlined clearly the problems we face in Northern Ireland. In his words, we are standing on a burning platform, a system which has to change or it will collapse.
“Northern Ireland has produced a plethora of reports into its health service, but has comprehensively failed to take much of the advice on board.
“Bengoa recognised services just can’t be removed. Maintaining public trust is critical for the success of transformation.”
Dr Woods said patients had no confidence in the failed model of reconfiguration by collapse and when any patient service is removed, a safe, superior alternative must be put in place first.
“Nowhere is this more stark than in the crisis faced by primary care,” he said.
“Practices are collapsing but because of lack of a health minister we have no rescue plan for general practice in NI. Rather, practice funding is being withdrawn. Northern Ireland needs a funded rescue plan for general practice put in place now. Our junior doctors are facing increasing rota gaps, consultant vacancies are impacting on care, and general practice is struggling to recruit and retain doctors.
“We cannot do any of this with stop-start decision-making. We need our politicians to get back round the table, to work together and to work with us to make sure we can deliver the high quality health system we aspire to.”
Dr Woods was speaking ahead of debates at the annual representative meeting in support of GPs in NI, service reconfiguration and workforce planning.