Tony Walls said the health minister and department for far too long have been fixating on privatisation and fragmentation instead of looking at how to implement a change of culture.

He said: "One woman waiting for two weeks to be treated is outrageous, dangerous, and a sad reminder of the massive staff shortages that have not been addressed in any meaningful way.

"The approach taken by those charged with managing our healthcare system, is akin to moving deck chairs on the Titanic. Financial and human resources are being squandered with constant plans to reconfigure and restructure services."

Mr Walls said there is plenty of research that confirms that because of the rush to privatisation patients may have died.

The bed shortage and staff shortages have been created by design not by accident and sadly the sick the elderly and the poor are paying the price for those decisions.

placeholder image — The bed shortage and staff shortages have been created by design not by accident and sadly the sick the elderly and the poor are paying the price for those decisions.

"The ambulance service has been forced to treat people in the back of ambulances and in corridors. The workers party has been calling for an open and transparent debate which does not allow those with vested interests inside and outside the service to make the decisions that suits their own agendas."

He concluded: "Health inequalities are growing because of poverty and multiple deprivations. Poor housing, lack of sustainable well paid employment, are all aggravating factors within many areas of Northern Ireland.

"The Workers Party believes that three hospitals across Northern Ireland ,having patients waiting for hundreds of hours, should be a wake-up call for those who see moving away from the core values of the National Health service.

"We need a health service that puts the needs of patients and quality clinical outcomes first."