The Opposition MLA said: “The health budget is so poor now because of the cuts Peter Robinson made when he was Finance Minister last year.
“Robinson’s cuts have and will continue to hit our health service very hard. Obviously efficiency savings need to be made in administration, but we should not be seeing cuts to essential frontline services like Northern Ireland now faces.
“Devolution is meant to be about delivery not cuts to vital services. Health provision is arguably the most important sector of society. At the moment all we hear of are increases in hospital acquired infections and health service cuts. What we need are positive changes and extra frontline services – this Executive has failed to deliver them.
“In the planned shake-up for Belfast’s health system, some services are going to be scrapped, but I have real suspicion that they will not be replaced with adequate new services. There can be no reduction in healthcare until the money is on the table to replace these vital services. Unfortunately, Robinson’s cuts make the future of our health services appear very bleak.”
ENDS