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Justin McNulty MLA has praised the organisers of yesterday's SOS Daisy Hill rally in Newry. He also once again voiced his concerns about the Southern Trust's 'temporary closure' of maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital. The rally was organised by the SOS Daisy Hill Group and Unison in protest at the Southern Trust’s decision to temporarily close maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital. McNulty said a cross-departmental response is needed and that closing maternity services is not an option that prioritises the safety of mothers and babies.
Thousands of people assembled in Newry to protest against the Trust’s decision, which many believe will lead to permanent removal of the service.
Mr McNulty said: “Thousands of people came out on Sunday in a clear demonstration of the strength of feeling on this issue. It was especially powerful and poignant to see expectant mothers and Daisy Hill staff being front and center of the rally and leading the march. I want to pay enormous tribute to and thank the SOS Daisy Hill Group for their incredible work behind the scenes to plan and organise this rally.”
He said one young mother who spoke at the rally told her own birth story and explained how the proximity of Daisy Hill Hospital was vital in ensuring her baby got the care that was life saving.
Mr McNulty added: “We have heard the narrative of ‘temporary closure’ before at Daisy Hill, and we know it has led to permanent closure. We cannot afford to have maternity services suffer the same fate. Expectant mothers, who may already be in labour, cannot be left without any other alternative than to travel to Craigavon Area Hospital, especially when there has been a failure to demonstrate how Craigavon would be able to safely accommodate 1700 additional births a year without impacting other services.
“This is a cross-departmental issue involving health, rural affairs, infrastructure, transport poverty, finances, economic growth, and the human rights of all expectant mothers and their families. The entire Executive suite needs to come together to build solutions, including exploring a cross-border approach, on how to make working at Daisy Hill an offer that consultants cannot refuse, because closing maternity services is not an option that prioritises the safety of mothers and babies.”
