Ursula Meighan workers party representative for Black Mountain Belfast, has reacted angrily to newspaper reports highlighting the percentage increase of those using the private healthcare sector for treatment.

The costs incurred by many individuals who cannot really afford to pay. But feel they have to borrow money from what ever source they can turn to for treatment.

Ursula said: "Many of these people are elderly pensioners on waiting lists for cataract removal and this particular condition has a life limiting impact on those suffering from it and requires straight forward surgery.

"If we take cataract procedures as an example it is in the main a condition that comes with getting older and does have an affect on the daily living of those unfortunate enough to suffer from it. This is considered a straight forward surgical procedure and does not take long to perform.

Workers party protest against another new private hospital outside Belfast City Hall. These Private Hospitals are being operated purely for profit. The doctor’s consultants ,surgeons and other medical professionals. Have been trained at an enormous cost to the taxpayer.

placeholder image — Workers party protest against another new private hospital outside Belfast City Hall. These Private Hospitals are being operated purely for profit. The doctor’s consultants ,surgeons and other medical professionals. Have been trained at an enormous cost to the taxpayer.

"National Health Service waiting lists for this procedure is one of the longest. Yet, despite its impact on daily living . Especially for older people struggling hard to stay within their own homes it is not considered a priority.

"Numerous people have spoken to me about the struggles faced by elderly family members who have been waiting for up to five years. Pensioners especially working class ones do not have the money to go private and their families are left feeling guilty because they can not raise they money to fund the procedure."

Ursula said there are not many banks willing to lend money to elderly people on state pensions, or their working class families on low incomes. She had spoken to a woman recently who has a 89 year-old relative on the waiting who received a letter from the Belfast Trust giving her an appointment for February in South Tyrone Hospital in Dungannon. The letter informed her she will be seen as a new patient the person who cares for her is 75 years old and will have to drive all that distance in what is still the winter months.

"If this is the out workings of the new reforms and the relocation and re-designation of services then we should send them back to the drawing board. Ursula said perhaps one of the reasons for such long waiting lists is because our national health doctors and consultants are spending more and more of their time in the private health sector.

"This also begs the question about productivity, if they can for example treat 10 people in the private clinics per session, why can they not do so when they are working for us their employers.

"I think it is time they showed their commitment to the taxpayers and citizens who cannot afford to pay for costly medical treatment and concentrated on the National Health Service," she added.