Phil Prendergast (Labour)

I will not use the eight minutes. I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I have worked at the front line of the delivery of health services, as a midwife, for more than 20 years. Many aspects of the health services are excellent and I welcome any changes that will give a better patient service.

Had I not had the great honour to be elected to this House, I would not have a job because of the public service recruitment embargo. What is happening locally, and my colleagues have assured me of this, is that they are being asked to work overtime for which they will not be paid and when matters are resolved, they will be given back the time. That is not satisfactory. Parental leave is being cancelled for many involved in the delivery of the health care services.

There are issues in the health services that are a cause of concern. The developmental check for children at nine months is often not being done until the age of two. The reason it is done at nine months is because any deficiencies in the developmental check can be rectified, and the optimum time for diagnosis is nine months. That is a matter of concern to me.

While the further roll-out of BreastCheck is welcome, there should never be an availability of services on the basis of where one lives. Geography should not disadvantage people——