Healthy services
A focus on improving mental health services, targeting obesity and more efficient cancer treatments are shared priorities for the main parties.
As health is a matter which is mostly devolved to the Assembly, there are few opportunities in Parliament for local MPs to have an impact on the province’s health policy. Medical ethics and the regulation of the health profession, though, are still decided nationally.
DUP
The DUP wants to see the “frontloading” of funding for the first few years of life “in order to give young people the best prospects.” They advocate increased investment in health promotion, disease prevention and early intervention measures. In practice this would mean outlawing smoking with children in cars, a multi-agency response to obesity, and instilling “the development of emotional and coping skills and empathy” in young men.
The party would also take swift action to deal with failure to meet cancer treatment waiting time targets.
An action plan to improve maternity provision across Northern Ireland would be implemented. They would continue to oppose the extension of 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland; and would reduce the number of caesarean births.
Sinn Féin
An all-Ireland suicide prevention strategy would be pursued by the party and mental health would be improved by implementing the Bamford Review proposals. In addition, mothers to be and mothers with new-born babies would
receive dedicated perinatal mental health care if required.
Sinn Féin calls for a ‘card before you leave’ system to provide vulnerable patients at accident and emergency with advice and contact numbers. The Public Health Agency would be lobbied by the party to tackle social inequalities earlier.
The party would aim to ensure equality in cancer care facilities across the island, particularly in the north-west and there would be more funding for child cancer care services.
Prompt and widespread access to effective drug and alcohol treatment services, including community-based services, is advocated and the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Assembly’s inquiry into obesity is demanded.
SDLP
“There are many small changes that we can begin to make immediately,” according to the SDLP. These include compulsory front-of-packet food labelling, promoting the mental health benefits of physical exercise and a ban of the display of tobacco for sale. Cross- border co-operation on health would be developed for rural areas and patients would be sent to the Republic for treatment rather than flying them to England, if it is more economical. They also call for drug classification to be devolved and in the meantime allow ministers to temporarily classify new drugs “until they are proven safe.”
UCUNF
The Conservatives and Unionists want the family doctor to be a patient’s guide throughout the NHS. They say they will continue to drive up quality, bring down waiting lists and improve cleanliness and infection control. On access to life-saving drugs the party says they want local cancer patients to be first on the list for drugs and treatments that would prolong or improve their lives. They would also ensure that the Public Health Agency forges new and stronger relationships with local councils to deal with health inequalities.
Aliance
Alliance is committed to an NHS that is free to all at the point of entry and the full implementation of the recommendations on mental health and learning disabilities in the Bamford Review.
Elderly citizens, children and young people with mental health problems would a priority and the party would increase support for psychological therapies. A UK-wide commission would be set up to investigate the fact that elderly people are often forced to sell their homes to fund their care.
Others
The Green Party would abolish prescription charges throughout the UK.
The TUV says that the current trust boundaries must be amended so that patients have less distance to travel for treatment.
