Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly

Friday 20 July 2012 Written Answers
Benefit
Total
recipients
2007/08
WA 560
Total
recipients
2008/09
Total
recipients
2009/10
Total
recipients
2010/11
Total
recipients
2011/12
Payment of necessary travel costs
to hospital for health service
treatment 2 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Healthy Start Voucher scheme 3 N/A N/A N/A 17,222 17,438
1 The number of recipients accessing ophthalmic services is not available
2 Information on the recipients of payment for necessary travel costs to hospital for health service treatment
is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
3 Responsibility for the delivery of this service transferred to the Business Services Organisation (BSO) in
April 2010, it is not possible to provide activity figures for the period before this date. However, based upon
expenditure information, it could be assumed that activity levels in 2007/08 to 2009/10 were broadly
similar to those reported in 2010/11 & 2011/12.
Hospital Network in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust Area
Mr Swann asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, in relation to the creation of
the Hospital network in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust area and the assessment of need for
a new hospital, when such an assessment will be made and whether the assessment will be made on
the basis of clinical need.
(AQW 13608/11-15)
Mr Poots: The Northern Health and Social Care Trust Draft Population Plan, as do all Trusts’ draft
Plans, sets out an assessment of the needs of its local population and how those needs are to be
delivered.
Draft Population Plans together with a draft Strategic Implementation Plan have now been published on
my Department’s website and will be subject to quality assurance and further engagement with clinical
leaders over the summer months. All of these draft Plans include proposals for hospital configuration
to ensure that acute services adhere to best practice in terms of quality outcomes, infrastructure and
staffing and that they are safe, resilient and sustainable based on clinical assessment. No decisions
have yet been made in relation to the future hospital configuration, including services in the Northern
Trust area.
These plans are only proposals and it is appropriate that the material which has been produced is
considered carefully. Once finalised, all Plans will be subject to formal consultation, over the autumn,
which will ensure that people are informed and engaged in shaping the future for the health and care
sector. Further public consultation would be undertaken on any significant service changes being
proposed in light of conclusions on the Strategic Implementation Plan and Populations Plans.
MRI Scanners
Mr Campbell asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety how many MRI scanners
were available, at each acute hospital, in each of the last three years.
(AQW 13616/11-15)
Mr Poots: The numbers of MRI scanners which were available, at acute hospitals, in each of the last
three years are as follows:
Acute Hospital 2012 2011 2010
Belfast City Hospital 2 2 2
Mater Hospital 1 1 1