Proposal that is only fit for the rubbish bin

SIR, — I attended the Shared Services public meeting on Thursday night past which highlighted the very real threat of job losses to this area.

To be honest it was more the not so public meeting thanks to Business Services Transformation Programme (BSTP) lack of foresight to advertise in local press, perhaps an attempt to ensure the public are not aware of the impending threat.

However, hats off to the staff located in Bernagh House, Downshire and Payroll, Newtownards who turned out in force with friends and family to send a very strong message to BSTP and the Health Minister.

It was a highly charged meeting with very important questions raised. For example, why had BSTP added figures for payroll staff located in Newtownards to Belfast Area figures and not to South Eastern Trust figures?

It was staggering to learn Newtownards is now located in Greater Belfast. Yes folks, Newtownards has moved according to BSTP anyway!

This is just one of the blatant attempts to adjust figures to ensure the outcome that is arrived at by BSTP is the one that is wanted politically.

BSTP have not even carried out the equality assessment correctly and have had to go back and are presently during this consultation period still gathering a postcode analysis of where staff live. This is beyond a joke.

Another issue is the cost to us the tax payers in refurbishing BSTP’s preferred option in Ballymena while the adequate space up on the Downshire site lies idle. Apparently BSTP were not aware of what space was available as they had not been informed by Estates Services.

Seriously, this is the kind of nonsense that is held within this consultation document. It beggars belief that officials have used taxpayers’ money, to pay consultants to produce a document which is fit for nothing more that the bin.

The Health Minister is going to make a decision based on this and pull 33 jobs from Downpatrick to Ballymena.

Mr. Wells (MLA), Deputy Chair of the Health Committee, was asked directly by the floor to ensure that the flaws that were raised in documents are brought before the Health Committee. I hope for the sake of this area the Health Committee is made fully aware of all issues that were raised.

The Health Minister and the Committee should send BSTP back to the drawing board with their work of fiction to ensure they produce a document that can stand up to public scrutiny.

This is just another example of Northern Ireland’s inability to function with joint up government and it’s so, so sad to see the same old equality issues reticent of Northern Ireland.

I appeal to each and every member of the public to respond to the consultation document located on the Department of Health’s website, http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/show consultations?txtid=53572.

Please question your public representatives and find out what they intend to do ensure a fair outcome for the staff of Bernagh House.

Yours etc.,

MARY MURRAY,

Crossgar.