A body representing health leaders in the North has warned that the region's draft budget could result in service cuts equivalent to the loss of 10,000 health staff.
The Northern Ireland Confederation for Health and Social Care (Nicon), the membership body representing the leaders of organisations in the sector, has submitted to the public consultation over the spending plans.
It said the proposed health budget is “unworkable and counter-strategic” and would have “catastrophic impacts on frontline services.”
The powersharing Executive at Stormont agreed a draft budget for 2025-26 in December.
Stormont Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has already warned that it could leave him facing a £400 million (€475 million) funding shortfall.
Neil Guckian, speaking on behalf of Nicon, said: “Our consultation response details how the HSC (health and social care) will need to find £400 million savings in 2025-26.
“Coupled with the increase in demand for health and social care services, this is an untenable ask.
“Achieving this level of savings in-year will require high-impact cuts on a scale not previously seen, with catastrophic impacts for frontline services.
“Even if the minister were to agree to implement such measures, a one-year budget means our senior teams will likely spend six months in statutory consultation, leaving little to no time to plausibly deliver this level of savings by the end of the financial year.”
Last week, the Stormont Executive published its programme for government, which contained pledges of extra cash to tackle the hospital waiting list crisis.
Mr Guckian added: “Additionally, although the Executive’s plan for waiting list investment is very welcome, this funding must not be secured by simply raiding the existing budget for the day-to-day running of health and social care.
“This would be entirely counter-intuitive, as any investment in waiting lists would be undermined by the curtailment of services and cuts elsewhere, such as domiciliary care packages, leading to further backlogs in care.
“We call on political leaders to urgently agree a more rational, innovative approach to HSC funding that will allow us time to implement the strategic approach that we as leaders are confident we can deliver.”
Nicon said the proposed health funding for Northern Ireland is at a 10-year low relative to England.
Mr Guckian said: “While an innovative financial arrangement and financial recovery plan will help us through the next three years, we must have a wider societal conversation about how health and care will have to adapt to meet future population needs sustainably.
“This will require bolder decision-making around additional revenue raising; moving care closer to communities; and prevention, including a rethink on how we support the public to take a more active role in their own health.”
