In a stark statement healthcare leaders have expressed serous concern at the worsening crisis facing the NHS in Northern Ireland saying 'our health service is on the verge of collapse'.
In a statement released on Tuesday, 14 March, The Royal College of GPs, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Nursing in Northern Ireland, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, representing thousands of doctors and nurses have communicated serious concern and frustration at the state of the health service across Northern Ireland.
Speaking with a united voice to highlight just how serious things are, they said:
"Our health service is on the verge of collapse. Our waiting lists are intolerably long and escalating, emergency departments are overwhelmed, general practice is at risk of total destabilisation, and children are suffering as a result of paediatric waiting lists. We also have chronic workforce shortages, alongside overworked and burnt out staff who cannot cope any longer. This situation could not be more serious.
"We know that we are looking toward an incredibly difficult financial context with a huge budget deficit likely to have a real impact on basic service delivery, let alone being able to deliver on the transformation that is so badly needed.
"It is extremely frustrating that we have no functioning Government or Assembly at Stormont and it is regrettable that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland declined our urgent invitation to meet. There is no political avenue to express our serious concerns.
"As health service leaders, we are determined to continue to work together in the best interests of our staff and the patients we serve, but we are extremely concerned at the state of our health service. We need action to prevent total collapse.
"The cost of failure is too severe to contemplate".