Northern Ireland

Senior medic urges calm over Stormont Public Health Bill

After concerns about possible measures like mandatory vaccination, the BMA’s Dr Alan Stout said it was vital to update Northern Ireland’s ability to respond to severe public health threats

East Belfast GP Dr Alan Stout has been elected as the new chair of the BMA's Northern Ireland Council. PICTURE: BMA
East Belfast GP Dr Alan Stout is chair of the BMA's Northern Ireland Council. PICTURE: BMA
By Allan Preston

A senior medic has appealed for calm over fears new health legislation from Stormont could introduce draconian powers.

This week, the Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said he did not support the introduction of “mandatory vaccination” as part of new legislation to contain severe threats to public health.

A public consultation on the bill was due to end next Friday, but Mr Nesbitt has extended it until October 14 over “confusion” about what it could mean.

The planned bill would replace the 1967 Public Health Act, “ensuring Northern Ireland can respond to a wider range of severe threats to public health”.

In addition to infectious diseases, the new bill would also cover infection and contamination from biological, chemical and radiological sources.

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In one section of the consultation, the public are asked if authorities should be able to impose certain restrictions in the event of a threat to public health.

This includes the possibilities of “requiring a person to submit to medical examination,” “be removed to a hospital or other suitable establishment” or “require a person to be vaccinated.”

Among those objecting are the North Down MP Alex Easton, who said the bill was “a tilt too far in favour of government control”.

Mr Nesbitt commented: “As we seek to replace outdated legislation, it is important that we consider all options. I am not in favour of mandatory vaccination even in limited and tightly prescribed circumstances.

“Nevertheless, it is right that we have a public conversation about all potential options in the public consultation, as we decide what should be in the final Bill to protect us all.”

He added there had been “some misunderstanding” about the bill, and any draft legislation would still need to go through the multiple stages of Assembly and health committee scrutiny before it could be passed.

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The Health Minister has said he will not support "mandatory vaccination" in a new public health bill. (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Dr Alan Stout, chair of the BMA NI Council, told The Irish News there needed to be measured debate on the issue.

“We are responding to the consultation, it’s quite a wide-ranging bill so there’s a lot more to it,” he said.

“It is important for people to respond. Our main concerns are some of the asks for a workforce that is already quite constrained.”

He added: “The debate seems to be narrowing on to the vaccine scenario. Some people are reading it with Covid and the surrounding controversies in mind.

“But they’re forgetting that public health has actually got a vital role to play in lots of different kinds of health emergencies.

“That might be various other infections like monkey pox, but even contamination in places like Lough Neagh.

“It could even be foul play or terrorism with things like an anthrax attack, so it’s important we do have very strong public health rules and protections.

“That’s a big part of what these proposals are working towards.”

Calling for less alarming language on the issue, he added: “The additional context is what is already happening in so many other nations, like so many things Northern Ireland tends to lag behind.”