MP claims Downpatrick is victim of discrimination

MP claims Downpatrick is victim of discrimination

11 January 2012

SOUTH Down MP Margaret Ritchie has called for the scrapping of a controversial proposal to transfer 33 finance staff from the Downshire Hospital in Downpatrick to Ballymena.

The proposed move is part of a radical shake-up of administration services across the Province’s health service which would result in the local staff facing a daily 110-mile round trip to Ballymena from this October.

The Business Services Organisation (BSO) has drawn up plans for a major reshuffle of a raft of services aimed at saving tens of millions of pounds over the next decade. Public consultation on the BSO proposal closes at the end of next month.

Miss Ritchie says she is concerned at the lack of recognition given to Downpatrick as a health service location by the BSO, describing it as a “gross act of unconscious political discrimination.”

The MP said over the past few years, the BSO has given consideration to two centres for the provision of health service administration.

“Given that Downpatrick has a long history associated with health service administration, the need to create a centre of public administration in this area and the political imperative to make this district a critical hub for employment, it was naturally thought that one of the centres would be east of the Bann, probably in Downpatrick,” she continued.

“The economy in this area is dominated and driven by the public sector in job provision, whether through the local council, Civil Service, education or health service administration.”

Miss Ritchie said a number of weeks ago the BSO revealed that there would be four proposed centres for health service administration, none of which included Downpatrick, with the south eastern area of Co. Down ignored.

The MP continued: “The proposal to relocate 33 staff from Downpatrick to Ballymena represents a gross act of unconscious political and geographical discrimination which, if implemented, will stunt local job provision and creation in the health sector in this area.

“This proposal has been and will continue to be resisted by the local community. Whether it is an unconscious or wilful act of political discrimination, it must be scrapped and the situation must be rectified.

Downpatrick must become a BSO location.”

Miss Ritchie said the skills, expertise, and knowledge of the finance personnel staff in the health sector in Downpatrick must not be lost to another part of Northern Ireland. She said local jobs must be sustained.

The MP added: “Downpatrick must continue to be a centre of local public administration; there must be no chipping away at the block. All steps must be taken to support and provide for this form of employment. Nothing less will do or will be considered acceptable. The Minister for Health must now intervene to rectify the situation.”