Write a commentNewry City Councillor Gavin Malone has once again called for the Southern Health and Social Services Trust to retain its support for Daisy Hill. Malone has stated once again that following recent A&E statistics in relation to waiting times Daisy Hill Hospital is a first class facility that needs to be maintained and developed at all costs by both the Southern Health and Social Care Trust and the Department of Health.
Speaking on the issue Cllr Malone said “Daisy Hill Hospital is a first class facility, one of the finest in Northern Ireland and again we now see that importance following recent statistics that show that waiting times in Craigavon Area Hospital have become the 2nd highest increase in 12 hour waiting times.”
The Department of Health’s annual report showed the number of patients waiting longer than 12 hours in emergency departments here has soared by almost 700% in the past five years. The biggest rises this year compared to last were at the Ulster Hospital (4,553 to 6,486) and Craigavon Area Hospital (2,570 to 4,604).
Commenting on the figures Cllr Malone added “These figures show the importance of the A&E Department at Daisy Hill. After the unsuccessful attempt to remove A&E from Daisy Hill a few years back this Department is important now more than ever. Imagine Daisy Hill A&E was closed down, do you think Craigavon Area Hospital could handle an increase in admissions from Daisy Hill...absolutely not.
"Craigavon Area Hospital is stretched thin as it is and the same needs to be said for other Departments such as our Stroke Department. To think that taking services from Daisy Hill and transferring them to the already overloaded system at Craigavon is absolute madness and these figures show it. Daisy Hill Hospital must be retained at all costs."
