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Following a meeting with the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and the Southern Trust’s CEO, Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has spoke of his 'huge disappointment' that the Southern Trust have ruled out an orthopaedic surgery hub at Daisy Hill as part of the new proposed elective surgery offering even though they don't have a timeline for when the Elective Surgery Hub will be delivered.
In reply a spokesperson for the Southern Trust said that Craigavon Hospital had been appointed as an Elective Orthapaedic Hub in June 2022 and that ongoing recruitment of surgical nursing staff is key to starting the Elective Hub in Newry.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr McNulty said: “I requested the meeting with the Department of Health’s top civil servant and the Southern Trust’s Chief Executive because of grave concerns I have about the management of Daisy Hill Hospital.
“I have been vociferous in my criticism of the decision to remove emergency general surgery from Daisy Hill Hospital and one of the Trust’s constant responses to that criticism has been to point to their plans to establish an elective surgery hub.
“However, when I pressed the Trust’s CEO on a timeline for delivering the elective surgery centre, they weren’t fit to answer, saying “we’re still sorting through that”, but they were fit to confirm that bringing elective orthopaedic surgery to Daisy Hill had been ruled out.
“People in this area will be wondering how the Trust are able to come into a public meeting last week with polished PowerPoints presentations on the withdrawal of emergency general surgery, but, alarmingly still no substantial detail on incoming elective surgery.
“If the Trust want to demonstrate that they are serious about the future of Daisy Hill, then they need to bring major elective surgery and the broad array of specialties that will come with that staff complement. Otherwise, they are selling us short once again.”
In reply to Mr McNulty's comments a spokesperson for the Southern Trust said “Since the former health Minister’s announcement in October 2022, that Daisy Hill Hospital will be an Elective Centre for patients requiring to stay overnight for planned surgeries, we have been working with colleagues regionally to develop these plans and agree which specialties will be delivered from each centre, to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients living across the Southern Trust and beyond.
“Previously, in June 2022, Craigavon Area Hospital had been confirmed as an elective orthopaedic hub as part of the regional model to address waiting lists.
“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."
The spokesperson continued “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.
“We already have excellent paediatric surgical facilities at Daisy Hill, have been investing in staff training and equipment over recent years and are already doing more surgery than ever at the hospital."
The spokesperson added that the establishment of the elective surgery overnight centre, along with the £9million upgrade the electrical infrastructure, their acquisition of Monaghan Row and purchase the Abbey Way site are all very welcome opportunities to further develop and expand acute services at Daisy Hill.
“As explained at our public meeting in the Canal Court, recruitment of surgical nursing staff is key to starting our regional elective activity. Recruitment is ongoing and we greatly welcome the continued support of all of our political and community colleagues in encouraging staff to come to work at Daisy Hill for these fantastic opportunities.” they concluded.
