Haematology centre for cancer patients at risk over 'disgraceful' funds move — SkimNews
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- Belfast Health Trust had planned to relocate 80 staff to free up space for a new haematology centre at Belfast City Hospital, but the project is now delayed to March 2031 due to funding withdrawal.
- Department of Health (DoH) withdrew £1.5m from the project’s decant allocation, citing concerns over the trust's cost estimates and appraisal of relocation options.
- Jennifer Welsh, chief executive of Belfast Trust, confirmed the funding cut poses a 'substantial risk' to the project and said the issue is being escalated to the DoH’s permanent secretary.
- Diane Dodds, DUP assembly member, emphasized that current conditions for haematology patients lack proper isolation, putting vulnerable individuals at risk during treatment delays.
- Nuala McAllister, Alliance assembly member, called the funding withdrawal 'disgraceful', stressing that the department allocates over half the executive’s budget yet blocked £1.5m for immuno-compromised cancer patients.
Why it matters: The £1.5m funding reversal delays critical infrastructure for Northern Ireland’s most vulnerable cancer patients by a year, risking patient safety due to inadequate current facilities and undermining trust in the Department of Health’s prioritization of high-cost, high-need care.
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