Robinson 'hits back' at Health Minister

Alderman Robinson, who took part in an adjournment debate last Tuesday over the issue, called Michael McGimspey's claims "poorly advised" and said he is highlight the "hard facts" of the proposed cuts.

Alderman Robinson said: "The Minister insinuates in his letter the concern expressed by the people and elected representatives in Limavady regarding the Roedoc Out Of Hours GP service has been about its closure. The whole concern has been about the reduction in the Roedoc service and the impact on the Limavady community. I have never said it is being closed completely. The Minister has obviously been poorly advised on this point."

"The Minister is quite correct that a home visit or consultation at the Limavady base will be available. However, he fails to mention that the doctor will have to come from Londonderry resulting in a time delay and, as the Minister states 'a GP would not be based permanently at the Limavady OOH centre after midnight'. The Limavady base is being closed under the new arrangements. A doctor has to travel from Londonderry."

Chiefs at Western Urgent Care announced last week the change in the RoeDoc's service, which will see no doctor in the Limavady base from midnight, will now not take hold to September, Alderman Robinson is still carrying on the campaign until a compromise is reached on the changes. The assembly man continued: "The Minister also refers to 'the wellbeing and safety of patients' and it is my belief that this is exactly what is being jeopardised under the proposals."

"The Minister is quite right that every department's budget is under strain, but all executive Ministers agreed the budget, including him and his Conservative and Unionist colleague. The Minister stated on the 25th May this year that only "if I'm faced with further cuts the reality is that (it] will eat very much into the frontline services". It would appear that a vital frontline service is being eaten into in Limavady as from the 1st July despite this statement. This is not scaremongering but hard fact."

"All departments have been asked to make additional savings due to the budget from the new government and the Minister stated, also on May 25th that the reductions "will not be as severe as first feared". Despite this the Limavady area will have a lesser service in relation to OOH GP services from midnight to 8am."

Alderman Robinson concluded; "It is disappointing that all the arguments are based solely on statistics and money and the population seems to be ruled out of the equation. The facts are: a closed Limavady base, no GP stationed in Limavady from midnight to 8-30am, services provided from Londonderry and greater response times, and all to save less than 0.5% of the entire Western Area budget."