Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew has called on the Health Minister and health trusts to plan for the urgent and full restoration of respite and day centre services.

The party’s health spokesperson said:

“Yesterday I met with the Southern Trust to give voice to the concerns raised with me by families in relation to social care and the issues they face when trying to avail of respite and day centre services.

“Today at the Health committee we learned that the South Eastern Trust lost a judicial review in failing to provide a service to a disabled child. 

“Families should never have to fight legal battles or go through the courts to get the support their children are entitled to.

“The Trusts need to set out a clear plan now on how they will restore respite services and day centres to full capacity. 

“We need the Department of Health to urgently publish its review into social distancing in these settings to inform that reopening plan.

”There can be no more delays, we need to see these services back up and running and supporting those people that rely on them.”