SDLP Health Committee member Mark H Durkan has called on the Health Minister to expedite the building of a new neo-natal unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Mr Durkan was speaking following the publication of a report into the pseudomonas outbreak which claimed the lives of four babies last winter.

The Foyle MLA said: "This report throws up a lot of concerns about the fitness for purpose of the current neo-natal building at Royal Jubilee Maternity and reinforces the need for the Health Minister to expedite the development of a new unit.

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"We have been told that this will not take place until 2016, presumably in the next budget term, but this is simply not soon enough and it is vital that the building of this essential healthcare facility is made a top priority by Edwin Poots.

"Lessons must also be learned about the uniformity of processes for cleansing across these units and indeed uniformity across all trusts about how they share information to mitigate against such terrible crises developing.

"It is crucial that communications are drastically improved to reduce the risk of families having to go through the pain of losing their baby in these types of circumstances ever again."

(CD/GK)