McCarthy disappointment by loss of children’s congenital heart services in Northern Ireland

Alliance Health spokesperson Kieran McCarthy has expressed his disappointment that a review by the Belfast Health Trust of children’s congenital heart services in Northern Ireland has found that it is no longer sustainable to continue to offer this service. Children will either have to go to Dublin or potentially England. There are around 90 child patients of this service each year.

Kieran McCarthy MLA said: “I am very disappointed that Northern Ireland has lost another important medical service.

“I know that for the size of Northern Ireland we can not have every specialist medical service but it is a worrying trend that we are losing several services.

“If there is a choice between sending children to Dublin or to England then I would think it would be better if they only had to go down the road to the Republic of Ireland rather than a plane or boat journey across the Irish Sea.”

ENDS