Lisburn and Castlereagh City Councillors clash over Knockbreda out of hours GP service

Alliance and the UUP voted against a proposal for the local authority to lobby the Belfast Trust to express concerns over the potential removal of the Knockbreda service.

However, a majority support in chambers agreed for Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) to engage in a public consultation and put pressure on the Trust to protect “thousands of people” from heading towards a “second rate service”. Castlereagh South Councillor Brian Higginson brought the motion forward, saying: “I am fully aware of the challenges the Belfast Trust is facing as they plan for future health needs.

“I believe that it is imperative that any restructuring plans must be clinically led.

“I am concerned the planned removal of GP out of hours service will not deliver better health outcomes for my constituents of South and East Belfast in this council district.

“Many people, elderly, vulnerable and especially families who use this service have contacted me who are opposed to these changes.

“The current primary care service is not fit for purpose. this has a knock-on effect on hospital services especially in the EDs (emergency departments).

“The Belfast Trust rational for removal of Knockbreda would appear to be driven by budgetary restraints and not the best clinical led service for patients. “I believe the explanation for the loss of this vital service has not been established by the Belfast Trust and I am concerned the loss of the out of hours GP service will put further pressure on an already overstretched A&E department at the Ulster hospital.

“Bluntly this proposal is totally unacceptable and I would urge the Trust to look again at your restructuring plan, try to deliver the best service for my constituents and not go down a blind alley that appears cheaper, but in reality becomes a more expensive second rate service.”

A public consultation was launched by the Belfast Trust as it admitted it faces “challenges” in maintaining its out of hours provision at its bases on the Crumlin Road and the Knockbreda Health and Wellbeing site in South Belfast with a need to focus on “changes”.

The Trust says it would be “more cost-effective and more efficient to provide the service from one base”.

Castlereagh East Alliance Alderman, Martin Gregg said: “All parties speak of the need to reform the health service and that we need to take the politics out of the health. And yet when something happens on their own patch they relent. “This is classic nimbyism (not in my backyard). The public need us to show leadership in terms of reform to our health service arguably more than anything. Alliance is committed to this both in words and deeds.

“It is vital for all parties to support the HSC (health and social care) transformation agenda. “I recognise that every transition is difficult, but reform will be impossible if every decision made by Trusts in their own backyard is challenged by councillors."