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There has been swift reaction today from local political leaders on the decision announced today by the Southern Trust on emergency surgery provision at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry.
See Emergency Surgery moving to Craigavon for full story.
Challenges
Slieve Gullion Councillor David Taylor has outlined his disappointment at the proposals and says he is engaging with the Health Minister on the matter.
Councillor Taylor said “The proposal by Southern Health & Social Care Trust to transfer emergency surgery provision from Daisy Hill Hospital to Craigavon Area Hospital is disappointing.
“I acknowledge the challenges outlined in terms of the availability of Consultant General Surgeons within the Trust area at this time. I am concerned however, as will many be across the community, that the Trust has felt it necessary to remove emergency surgery provision from Daisy Hill Hospital.
“I am engaging with the Health Minister to ensure that Daisy Hill Hospital is fully maximised as a facility both for local patients and for the benefit of the wider region. I know from my conversations with Robin Swann since he became Health Minister that he sees Daisy Hill as a major asset in the hospital estate. I have stressed to him, the importance of attracting staff to Daisy Hill to ensure that service provision at the Hospital is retained and enhanced.
“I’ve also asked the Trust to explore the transfer of more elective surgery to Daisy Hill Hospital as a means of fully utilising the capacity of beds and staff at the Hospital.
“There must be a concerted effort by Senior Trust officials and the Department of Health to achieve an increased capacity of Consultant General Surgeons in the Trust area. This is absolutely vital to ensure that emergency surgery service provision is sustained in the long term at Hospital sites across the Southern Trust area including at Daisy Hill Hospital.”
Cast Iron Assurances
Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty is seeking immediate, cast-iron assurances that the safety of local people will not be put at any increased risk as a result of the proposed “temporary” removal of emergency surgery from Daisy Hill Hospital.
Mr. McNulty said, “I’m fully supportive of rationalising our Health Service, but, the people of Newry, South Armagh and South Down do not see anything rational in losing a service which they believe is the difference between life and death. People living in Crossmaglen, Dromintee and Kilkeel need to know that today’s announcement will not put their safety and the safety of their families at any additional risk.
“I sounded the alarm on these plans earlier this month, after being approached by whistle blowers working on the front lines of Daisy Hill Hospital. The fact that the Southern Trust publicly rejected those claims, only to then publicize them today, will serve to dramatically undermine the level of public confidence that today’s announcement by the Trust is a temporary measure.
“People working on the frontline of our health service at Daisy Hill, and the patients they care for, are fearful that this is yet another attempt to further downgrade services at our local hospital.
“If we are talking about rationalising our health service, then cross-border solutions with Daisy Hill front and centre, must be part of that discussion.
“The Trust claims that today’s announcement will result in a “temporary” removal of emergency surgical services, but any removal of services, temporary or otherwise sends shivers down my spine and strikes fear into the hearts of the people I represent.
“Every time cuts have to be made to services, it is always the people of Newry, South Armagh, and South Down who have to bear the brunt of those cuts. For our area, it always seems to be a case of ‘last to get, first to lose’ and the people that I represent feel that they are constantly on the receiving end of geo-discrimination. No-one should feel that they don’t have equality of access to healthcare because of where they live.
“The Department of Health’s own guidance stipulates that in order to retain its status as a Type-1 Emergency Department, Daisy Hill must provide ‘both emergency medicine and emergency surgical services in-person and on-site, on a round-the-clock basis’.
“Anyone with an ounce of sense will see what’s happening here – the Trust are once again attempting to dismantle our Emergency Department piece by piece, this time by stealth.
“I need the people of Newry, South Armagh & South Down to join me in resisting and rejecting these Trust plans. Daisy Hill must be defended.”
MLA Liz Kimmins also commented earlier “Daisy Hill is a first class hospital and Sinn Féin has fought hard over the years to retain its services for the community of Newry and South Armagh. It is currently the only hospital between Drogheda and Portadown, and therefore it is absolutely essential that it is in a position to serve this wide geographical area."
