Health to get lion’s share of Stormont spending review allocations

Q Radio News/PA

The Health Service is to receive the lion’s share of the latest reallocation of money across Stormont departments.

Finance Minister Conor Murphy has announced £200 million for the Department of Health from the £250 million October monitoring round agreed by the Executive.

He said the allocation is to help the health service to meet Covid pressures on hospitals, tackle waiting lists, and fund a pay award for health workers.

The next biggest allocation is £20.7 million to the Department of Education, £7.7 million of which will support special education needs.

Some £500,000 is being provided to the Department of Infrastructure to address a shortage of taxi drivers, and £4 million for roads maintenance.

Just in - Stormont Finance Minister @conormurphysf announces additional £200m for the health service to meet Covid pressures on hospitals, tackle waiting lists, and fund a pay award for health workers. From Executive's £250m October monitoring round allocations @dptfinance pic.twitter.com/kPOqbyaUAi

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) October 29, 2021

Mr Murphy acknowledged the coronavirus pandemic as having had a “profound impact on our health service, compounding existing pressures and increasing waiting times for patients”.

“I’m announcing an additional £200 million for the health service. £80 million will go towards addressing Covid-19 pressures on hospitals,” he said.

“Health staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, caring for patients in the most challenging of circumstances. £70 million will be used to fund the health staff pay awards requested by the department for health. £30 million will be allocated to tackle waiting lists, and £15 million will support health trusts maintain service delivery against a backdrop of funding pressures and increasing costs.

“In recognition of the impact the pandemic has had on people’s mental health and wellbeing, £5 million has been allocated to expand the Mental Health Support Fund. This brings the Mental Health Support Fund, which has been heavily oversubscribed, up to £15 million.”

Health Minister Robin Swann welcomed the allocation.

“The vast majority of this funding was available to the Executive as a result of the increased health spending announcements by the UK Government,” he said.

“The fact that the Executive allocated more than the funding received from this source, with allocations representing almost 90% of the available funding in this monitoring round reflects the scale of the challenges and pressures facing our health service. For that I am grateful.

“In particular I am pleased that £70 million has been allocated to allow for the implementation of the pay review body’s recommendation of a 3% pay increase for staff.

“The immense work and sacrifice of our staff over the course of this pandemic is I know appreciated by everyone in our society and I will continue to do all I can to show that appreciation in concrete terms going forward.”

.@RobinSwannMoH has welcomed the £200million monitoring round allocation for the health service@healthdpt pic.twitter.com/wHWNPmOeYm

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) October 29, 2021

Turning to the other allocations, Mr Murphy described of the £20.7 million for the department of education, £7.7 million of this supporting Special Educational Needs including asymptomatic testing, provision of Personal Protective Equipment and substitute cover.

“To assist the taxi sector which is experiencing a shortage of drivers, £500,000 is being provided to encourage new drivers to join the industry. As we go into the winter months, the £4 million bid roads maintenance and winter services such as gritting has been met in full,” he said.

Mr Murphy said he had received bids for funding from the various Stormont departments totalling £516 million.

“There are many competing demands on public spending and with bids totalling more than double the funding available, the Executive has had to prioritise,” he said.

“It isn’t possible to fund everything. As an Executive, we have collectively agreed that investment in the health service is paramount which is why almost 90% of the funding available is going to the Department of Health.”

Other allocations include £8.6 million for the department of agriculture, environment and rural affairs for Covid-19 schemes and Rural Business Community Fund, £4.2 million for the Executive Office for the Social Investment Fund & Financial Transaction Capital Interest Pressure, £3 million for the department of finance for the localised restrictions support scheme, £2 million for the department of justice for the Safer Communities Programme and Legal Aid Costs and £200,000 for the Northern Ireland Assembly for members costs.