Paula Bradshaw is an Alliance Party politiican in Northern Ireland
Premium Mental health crisis as NI psychiatric units struggle with occupancy levels amidst ‘ongoing bed pressures’ People experiencing a mental health crisis are being nursed in chairs due to a lack of hospital beds.
Gallery DUP leader accused of treating voters with ‘contempt’ as Emma Little-Pengelly returns to fill Donaldson’s seat at Stormont The DUP’s Emma Little-Pengelly has made a dramatic return to frontline politics after departing from Stormont last year to focus on her legal career.
Play Belfast South: Alliance’s Kate Nicholl takes final seat as Green Party's Clare Bailey eliminated Day two and Paula Bradshaw of Alliance was the first person to be elected at the Belfast count centre.
Fresh calls for urgent increase in mileage expenses for domiciliary health workers There have been renewed calls for mileage rates for home helps to be increased in light of rising fuel costs, after it emerged the last time they were changed was eight years ago.
‘Inaction’ over helping children in Northern Ireland care homes must stop, say MLAs MLAs on Stormont’s health committee have criticised “inaction” over strategies for looked after children in Northern Ireland and called for an interim report to be published.
Gallery Premium Alliance leader Naomi Long: ‘We can become the biggest party... I will not put a cap on our ambitions’ Naomi Long says she can “lay the foundations” in May’s Assembly election for Alliance to become Northern Ireland’s largest party.
Premium Two-year wait for hip or knee surgery ‘deeply troubling’ The length of time people in Northern Ireland have been waiting for hip and knee replacements has doubled in some health trusts in the last six years, according to new figures.
Spiralling cost of agency staff is unsustainable: Health Minister Health Minister Robin Swann has warned the soaring cost of agency workers is “totally untenable”.
Djokovic row: DUP MLA’s support for tennis star sparks criticism A DUP MLA who has consistently spoken out against Covid-19 restrictions has been criticised for a tweet in support of tennis star Novak Djokovic, who is being held in an Australian immigration detention centre.
Face masks: Executive delay introduction of enforcement following change in exemptions A grace period around the enforcement of mask wearing is to be extended, according to a letter from the Stormont Executive Office.
Premium Omicron Northern Ireland: No plans for mandatory vaccines for workers, says Economy Minister Gordon Lyons The Economy Minister has said he has no plans to change to law to require businesses to make Covid vaccinations mandatory for their employees.
New rules for PCR testing as demand outstrips supply due to rise of Omicron Calls have been made for the Government to ensure a “reliable” supply of Covid tests amid growing concerns around shortages as new testing guidance was introduced here.
Gallery Premium Door-to-door jab teams ‘are needed in Northern Ireland to halt Omicron’ Stormont has been urged to consider door-to-door Covid ‘jab teams’ in the ongoing fight against the Omicron variant.
NI health and hospitality sectors stand to gain as Treasury rolls out fresh Covid-19 funds Fresh Treasury funding to help Northern Ireland weather the Covid crisis throughout the winter has spilt opinion over whether hospitality or the health service should receive the bulk of the financial aid.
Premium Fresh waiting lists blow as neurologist jobs remain unfilled Health officials have failed to fill two consultant neurologist posts newly created to help address soaring waiting times for patients with potentially fatal conditions.
Nearly 2,000 children on waiting list seeking mental health help Almost 2,000 children across Northern Ireland are waiting to access mental health services, according to new figures.
Gallery Premium ‘I’m absolutely thrilled’... Kate to be first Lord Mayor of Belfast to have a baby while in office Alliance’s Kate Nicholl is set to make history by becoming the first Lord Mayor of Belfast to have a baby while in office.
Premium Operations face cancellation as Covid numbers in hospital rise Health bosses are preparing to cancel a raft of operations as the pressure mounts on our fragile health service.
Swann rules out baby box scheme over safety doubts Health Minister Robin Swann has ruled out introducing baby boxes in Northern Ireland because of a lack of data to prove they are safe.
Premium Music promoter wants balanced debate on relaxing of restrictions A music promoter has called for a balanced debate on easing restrictions as nightclubs are set to reopen later this month.
Vaccines ‘can help reduce risk of high risk nightclubs’ The Health Minister has described nightclubs as “high risk” venues and said proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test will help reduce the spread of the virus when they reopen.
Premium Cross-border healthcare: 724 NI patients apply to scheme for treatment in Republic More than 700 people applied to a scheme to reimburse Northern Ireland patients for treatment in the Republic in less than three months, with more than £130,000 paid out in the same period.
Assembly calls for governments to probe Troubles collusion claims The Assembly has passed a motion calling on both the UK and Irish governments to effectively probe claims of state collusion in acts of terrorism.
Play Premium Video: Anger over ‘up the Ra’ chants at street party in Belfast’s Holyland while PSNI look on Anger has been voiced after a video emerged of scores of rowdy students singing "up the Ra" during a street party in Belfast's Holyland area, while police officers look on just yards away.
Gallery Premium exclusive Trust paid £2m to failing care home it had to step in and help A failing care home was paid more than £2m by a health trust in the same year NHS bosses also provided thousands of hours of support from their own depleted workforce.
Premium Spend on antidepressants here climbs by over 30% in five years Mental health is under the spotlight again after it emerged that the amount spent on antidepressants here has increased by more than 30% in the last five years.
Premium 19 workplace deaths in year-and-a-half period ‘highly concerning’ In the last 18 months, almost 3,000 workplace incidents resulting in injuries have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSENI), it has emerged.
Long-awaited drug recovery unit at Maghaberry Prison delayed due to pandemic Plans for a long-awaited drug recovery unit at Maghaberry Prison have been delayed due to the pandemic, it has emerged.
Premium £100m bill for locum doctors in Northern Ireland fuels calls for reform There have been calls for "transformational reform" of the health system after it emerged that the amount spent by health trusts on locum doctors has increased by 43% since 2016 - with last year's bill coming to almost £100m.
