Treatment for life-threatening illnesses cannot be compromised in NI during pandemic

There is no doubt that sections of the community have paid lip service to regulations on household gatherings and there were disgraceful public breaches of the rules at the Bobby Storey funeral and various GAA matches. But it is wrong to tarnish everyone with the same brush.

There should also be scrutiny of how government and health officials are tackling the crisis and it was about time that Northern Ireland’s failing test and trace system came under scrutiny at the Assembly yesterday.

The News Letter has been asking questions of the Public Health Agency and the Department of Health about test and trace and the contact tracing mobile phone app without receiving any substantive replies. However, the figures speak for themselves with PHA officials openly admitting that the contact tracing service underestimated its future workload by nearly 300%. The system simply doesn’t seem to be delivering and outbreaks are not being contained.

Looking ahead, officials are not just going to be judged on Covid-19 deaths, but also their ability to maintain services for people awaiting treatment for life-threatening illnesses like cancer. Health Minister Robin Swann openly admitted that swathes of the health service closed down in the spring to deal with the first wave of the virus, but surely the Department of Health should have been prepared for the second wave? A story this week that a woman in her 30s awaiting cancer surgery had her operation postponed because nurses were needed for Covid-19 patients will set alarm bells ringing.

When questioned by the News Letter’s Sam McBride yesterday, Arlene Foster sought to reassure red-flagged cancer patients that their treatments will still proceed. The lives of many people could hinge on whether the Department of Health delivers on this over the weeks and months ahead.