A plan to build a dedicated haematology centre in Belfast has been jeopardized after the Department of Health withdrew £1.5m in funding. Belfast Health Trust officials told the Stormont health committee that the decision puts the project at significant risk and delays the opening by one year.
The trust had intended to relocate approximately 80 staff members from an area within Belfast City Hospital to create space for the new unit. However, the department reviewed the proposal and decided to pull the funds, citing concerns over the robustness of the capital cost estimates.
Cost Overruns and Funding Withdrawal
The total cost of the project has risen from an initial £8m to £19m. According to a department spokesperson, the government indicated that the trust should cover one element of the increased cost, estimated at £1.05m, from its general capital allocation of £20m per year over the next two years.
Jennifer Welsh, chief executive of the Belfast Health Trust, stated that the relocation of staff remains a major challenge. She noted that the department was not satisfied with the trust’s options appraisal, which led to the withdrawal of the £1.5m from the decant allocation.
“I will be clear with members that this is a significant issue for us, which potentially poses a substantial risk to this project,” Welsh said. The trust is currently exploring ways to fund the movement of staff and has escalated the issue to the permanent secretary at the Department of Health.
Concerns Over Patient Isolation
The delay has sparked concern among politicians regarding the current conditions for haematology patients. These individuals are undergoing intense treatment and are often severely immuno-compromised, making isolation critical to their safety.
DUP assembly member Diane Dodds highlighted that the public is worried about the lack of isolation for vulnerable patients currently treated in the city hospital. She described the new unit as a source of significant hope for cancer patients in Northern Ireland and argued that any delay puts these individuals at risk.
Alliance assembly member Nuala McAllister described the funding move as “disgraceful.” She emphasized that the department, which receives over half of the executive’s budget, has decided that £1.5m cannot be moved forward for a new cancer unit for some of the most vulnerable patients in the region.
The project is now scheduled to open in March 2031, a full year behind its original timeline. The trust continues to work with the department to control growing costs while addressing the immediate needs of haematology patients.
Source: BBC
