Letter: Time for health to be a ‘reserved’ matter - with ultimate control resting at Westminster?
A letter from Cliff Cardwell:
Speaking last week, the secretary of state quoted and contrasted statistics for one particular area of health service treatment.
In England, four per cent of patients are waiting over a year for a first appointment, compared to almost 60 per cent for the equivalent area in Northern Ireland.
With local politicians clearly struggling to understand and control the complexities involved, is it not time for health to become a ‘reserved’ matter, with ultimate control resting at Westminster?
Such a move might injure our assembly members’ pride but it could hardly be any worse than what we have at present and could provide a light at the end of the tunnel.
Cliff Cardwell, Co Londonderry