Ms Bradshaw was speaking as the consultation period for the proposed £70 million cuts ended. Speaking after Alliance submitted its responses to the Trusts, she said the political impasse has led to the current situation.
“As laid out in the consultation, the cuts across Northern Ireland would have a significant impact on many people, particularly the most vulnerable in our society. They are the result of the failure of the larger parties to form an Executive, having previously failed to provide a budget for the current financial year. That has helped us reach the point where the Trusts have been asked to consider making spending reductions of this nature without being able to pre-plan for them. No party serious about caring for people would now delay in taking responsibility to form an Executive to find a way to avoid these reductions.
“The consultation lays out an inevitable consequence, which is some spending reductions would, if pursued, have a direct impact on people’s quality of care and therefore quality of life. While not the fault of the Trusts, that is outrageous and cannot be allowed to happen.
“Throughout this consultation exercise, I met with the Chief Executives of most of the Trusts, and was able to put across my hopes the latest spending round will see money allocated to health, which will eliminate the need for the higher-impact spending reductions. Alliance will continue to push for this, while maintaining root and branch reform is needed to prevent these problems arising year after year.”