Health minister unveils plaque for new unit at Mid Ulster Hospital

Michelle O'Neill pulled back the curtain on a plaque at a newly-refurbished and upgraded ward now used for dispensing drugs and medical supplies across the Northern Trust. The £430,000 upgrade and creation of new Pharmacy unit at the Mid Ulster designed to bring "care to the community", minister says.

Health Minister Michelle O'Neill was at the Mid Ulster Hospital yesterday in Magherafelt, to officially unveil the plaque on a new £430,000 upgrade on a former ward there.

The old hospital ward has been refurbished, upgraded and converted into a new Pharmacy unit, that'll supply medicine and medical supplies across the Northern Trust.

The unit is designed to become a hub that "provides centralised dispensing and distribution of drugs, medical and surgical supplies for community services".

Speaking to Q radio news yesterday, the Sinn Fein minister said the new development was about "bringing care to the community".

"I'm delighted to be here and to meet all the staff, who are providing an excellent service to the community," she said.

When asked what this new Pharmacy service meant for the people of Mid Ulster, Minister O'Neill said it would mean a service closer to those that needed it most.

"Well, it brings things closer to the community," she said.

"It's about bring services closer to patients. So, this is very much going to improve outcomes for those people that need to avail of community pharmacy," she added.

Saying she was proud to open the new unit, she also said she thought the new service would benefit service providers as much as service users.

"This unit will also help district nurses and GPs. It'll help everybody to do their jobs better. It's a really really good development and something that I'm very proud to open this morning," she said.