Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew has again called on the Department of Health to urgently increase travel expenses for health workers.

 The party’s Health spokesperson said:

 “The Department of Health needs to urgently step up and support health and social care workers with their travel expenses as the cost of living crisis continues to spiral.

 “Social care workers, district nurses and other workers simply cannot afford to put fuel in their cars as they go about their job providing much-needed care in the community.

 “The Department of Health was able to find the money for private care homes to cover rising heating costs, they must now intervene to support our hard-pressed health workers.

”The DUP’s actions continue to block a three-year budget which would prioritise massive investment in health, recruit more doctors and nurses, fund mental health and cancer services and transform our health service. 

”The DUP need to get back to work in the Executive with the other parties and put people first over their own electoral panic.”