Alliance welcomes children’s mental health services review but warn political priorities have to change

Alliance MLAs have welcomed a review into children’s mental health services but warned it shows political priorities have to change. Paula Bradshaw MLA and Chris Lyttle MLA said the Children Commissioner’s report was correct in stating the system was left wanting in several areas. “I commend the Children’s Commissioner for taking on this review. Sadly, […]

New initiatives on suicide prevention welcome but quick evaluation necessary, says Bradshaw

Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has welcomed that new initiatives on suicide prevention are ongoing despite the lack of a Minister but added a quick and public evaluation will be necessary. The South Belfast MLA was speaking after Chief Medical Officer Michael McBride said a new strategy had been finalised but to date had […]

Bradshaw: Greater access to cancer drugs has been a long time coming

Alliance Party Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has said she is “delighted” at news from the Department of Health that the Individual Funding Request is finally to be reformed, giving access to new cancer drugs to Northern Ireland. She said: “I know that there will be many individual campaigners and local cancer charities who will […]

Bradshaw: Health workers pay must be addressed

Alliance Party Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw has said that a pay award to nurses and other health workers must proceed immediately, as the failure to deliver it is directly harming service provision to patients. The South Belfast MLA stated: “In the context of rising inflation and thus a rising cost of living, there can be […]

Approval of new children’s cancer drug in England raises questions around delays in Northern Ireland – Bradshaw

Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw has hit out at the failure of the Department of Health in Northern Ireland even to explain the delay in approving new cancer treatments here, after a new children’s cancer drug was approved by NHS England in record time. The South Belfast MLA stated: “Since 2013 Northern Ireland has been […]

Bradshaw says alcohol misuse figures cause alarm

Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has said figures showing alcohol misuse is the biggest healthcare problem in Northern Ireland will cause considerable alarm. Figures obtained from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency by the BBC show the number of alcohol-related deaths here is the highest on record. Statistics show between 2001 and 2016, […]

Bradshaw left baffled after Northern Ireland misses out on HPV vaccine for boys

Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has said she is baffled after it was confirmed Northern Ireland will not join other UK regions in introducing the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine for boys as well as girls. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended the HPV vaccine be issued for 12 to 13-year-old boys […]

Cautious welcome for neurology review by Bradshaw

Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has given a cautious welcome to the Department of Health’s review of neurology services, but added some political leaders are failing to lead on health issues. The Department announced the review as part of its Delivering Together programme of service reviews announced in 2016. It will begin in September […]

Bradshaw backs calls for action in cross-party abortion letter

Paula Bradshaw MLA has signed a cross-party letter alongside elected representatives from across the UK and Ireland to support a campaign by Stella Creasy MP, which urges the British and Irish governments to use the forthcoming British Irish Inter-Governmental Conference to play a role in moving along the issue of abortion here in Northern Ireland. […]

Bradshaw calls for Paisley to consider his position after watchdog findings

Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw has called for Ian Paisley MP to consider his position after he was told he was facing a 30-day suspension for breaching parliamentary rules. The House of Commons Committee on Standards found Mr Paisley lobbied against a UN resolution on Sri Lanka without disclosing two family holidays paid for by the […]