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Health Minister Robin Swann has announced that Daisy Hill Hospital is to designated as an Elective Overnight Stay Centre, caring for patients who require at least one night in hospital after surgery.
Whether this will affect the Daisy Hill Emergency Department in the longer term is presently unknown. A Southern Trust Spokesperson in a statement to Newry.ie claims that they are still working with the Department of Health on the findings of their 'Review of General Surgery'
What is known is that emergency general surgery at Daisy Hill was suspended earlier this year, due to staffing gaps in the surgical team and it remains suspended (Emergency general surgery relates to the treatment of patients presenting with conditions such as acute appendicitis, perforated bowels and obstructed bowels).
The Trust spokesperson said “Following the publication of the Review of General Surgery on 30 June, we have been engaging with colleagues regionally on how we locally implement the standards for elective and emergency surgery. We are working with the Department of Health to ensure that any local consultation on emergency general surgery will be informed by this wider Northern Ireland review and new regional standards.”
The Department of Health have disputed an earlier BBC report tweeting “Contrary to a report by the BBC today, no decision has been announced on the future of emergency general surgery at Daisy Hill Hospital. Nor has any decision been taken."
High Quality of Services
In a statement to the press today the Southern Trust welcomed the Health Minister’s announcement that Daisy Hill Hospital will be a regional Elective Centre for patients requiring to stay overnight for planned surgeries.
Trust Chief Executive, Dr Maria O’Kane said: “Daisy Hill is an essential part of the Southern Trust hospital network, along with Craigavon Area, South Tyrone and Lurgan, serving our entire population from South Down to Mid Ulster.
“We are very proud of the high quality of services provided by our very dedicated staff at Daisy Hill. In addition to the wide range of specialties already provided from the hospital, we now look forward to enhancing its elective surgical capacity.
“This is an exciting opportunity to develop an essential regional service benefiting the growing numbers of patients on local and regional waiting lists.
Ms O'Kane added “I would like to pay tribute to all of our staff who have been working tirelessly to sustain services during a very difficult few years. This announcement is a very welcome boost to Daisy Hill and the entire Southern Trust as we carefully rebuild more services and recover from the pandemic.
“I also acknowledge the support of our Community Forum, who have worked with Trust colleagues as part of the Daisy Hill Pathfinder Group, to secure and improve services in the interests of local people.
“Our surgical team will now be engaging with colleagues regionally to develop these plans, to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients living across the Southern area and beyond.”
Surgeons and Patients alike will travel from across NI
Health Minister Robin Swann in his announcement explained that the development of Elective Overnight Stay Centres is a key proposal in the Review of General Surgery published in June.
Minister Swann said "I am therefore delighted to announce that Daisy Hill Hospital in Southern Trust will, become an Elective Overnight Stay Centre for patients requiring intermediate complexity surgery with an overnight stay.
"In addition to the wide range of services already provided at DHH it will become a vibrant and dynamic Elective Overnight Stay Centre that provides elective care, not just for its local population but also for the region. Surgeons and patients alike will travel to DHH from across Northern Ireland. It will not be just for patients requiring general surgery but will include other specialties.
"Daisy Hill Hospital has already proven the viability of this approach for elective work. It is currently providing elective overnight stay surgery for breast, ENT, urology and general surgery for patients in the Southern Trust. Going forward this will expand and include patients from across Northern Ireland.
"The implementation of these plans remain subject to Trust decision making processes, engagement and recruitment."
