Southern Trust praise staff support during challenging winter

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has held an event at Daisy Hill Hospital in recognition of all of those partner organisations and volunteers who provided support over a number of very challenging days during the worst of this years winter and early spring.

Thanking everyone for their support, Trust Chair Roberta Brownlee said: “Many of us have never before witnessed the conditions that we experienced in the first few days of March this year and we sincerely thank everyone for showing such good will and dedication to our patients and clients.

“Our staff went to huge efforts to keep many vital hospital and community services running throughout this period and indeed throughout what has been a very busy and challenging winter across all of our services.

“We also very much appreciate the support from our volunteers, family, friends and many other agencies who worked with us and especially those who helped transport staff to work in very challenging circumstances.

“There are many stories about how our staff and others went above and beyond to ensure that the most vulnerable got the care that they needed over this period, for example staying overnight in our hospitals, and making their way to people’s homes to deliver vital medication and care.

“In particular, our own GP Out of Hours drivers and voluntary drivers were magnificent in helping us out and we would like to express a special thanks to them for their incredible efforts.

“We also are most grateful to our partners at Red Cross, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Mourne Mountain Rescue, the Coastguard, the PSNI, Armagh Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and Frontier Coaches. Alongside our statutory and voluntary partners, there were countless examples of friends and neighbours who assisted transporting staff and patients with 4x4s and tractors.”