UNISON views the decision by the Belfast Trust to suspend scheduled surgical interventions in cancer treatment with alarm

UNISON views the decision by the Belfast Trust to suspend scheduled surgical interventions in cancer treatment with alarm. This is truly a very serious development and will be deeply distressing for affected patients.

There are privately owned health resources which must now be marshalled. There is no reason why this cannot be effected without delay and on a not for profit basis.

The memorandum of understanding between the HSC in Northern Ireland and the HSE in the Republic must be immediately invoked and all opportunities explored to ensure the most critical and urgent services are sustained.

We fully expect the two Health Ministers to be talking to each other.