Irwin Armstrong, Chairman of the Northern Ireland Conservatives, welcomed the fact that patients in the North West will have a new cancer unit, but warned that the money to fund it will have to be found elsewhere.
“The radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin will be a huge benefit to people in the North West. After threatening to scrap the centre altogether it seems Edwin Poots will implement the original business case, following strenuous protests from local people.”
“The health minister has flip flopped on the issue but now he must get his story straight and be open with the people of Northern Ireland. Under the current plan the centre will cost the executive almost £100 million over the lifetime of the Assembly.”
“How does the minister intend to find this £100 million? Which patient services will he cut or will his colleague at the finance department mysteriously come up with more funds, now that the NHS is in DUP hands? People deserve to be hear the truth and the new executive should set out its stall as early as possible by providing full disclosure on this issue.”