Party members supporting the NHS at today’s protest at the Belfast City Hall

Workers Party representative in South Belfast Patrick Lynn has called on Belfast City Council’s Planning Committee to reject a planning application for a Private Health Village at the Kings Hall complex on the Lisburn Road.

“This is a straight forward argument “, he said,  “health services are not safe in private hands”

“Our city should not be facilitating and supporting private healthcare providers at a time when the NHS is underfunded and overstretched. Developments like these will only place additional pressure on our local hospitals and their staff”, Patrick added

“I fully support the call by the trade union movement to have this application rejected. Belfast should be rallying behind the work of our local health and care staff not helping to undermine it.

“Belfast City Council should be showing its support for local healthcare workers as they battle to secure the Agenda For Change terms and conditions which have been agreed in England, Scotland and Wales but not in Northern Ireland”, Patrick concluded