Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew has said an Executive is needed urgently to reduce waiting lists and begin to fix the health service.

Responding to the latest waiting lists figures released by the Department of Health, the party’s health spokesperson said:

“Stark figures from the Department of Health show that almost 360,000 people are now on a waiting list in the north.

“This is unacceptable. We need an Executive in place to reduce waiting lists and hire more doctors and nurses and fund vital mental health and cancer services.

“Sinn Féin are ready to form that Executive now, to invest the extra £1 billion in the health service and make health the number one priority.

“The DUP should end its boycott, join with the other parties in the Assembly on Monday and get a government up and running without any more delay. That’s what people who are sitting on hospital waiting lists expect us to do.”