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The SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee has thanked the public for a large turnout at yesterday's 25 October community rally in Marcus Square, Newry. The rally opposed the proposed 'temporary' suspension of maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital something the Southern Trust is due to discuss on 3 November 2026.
Residents, families, healthcare supporters, community representatives and visitors from throughout the district attended the event. The rally highlighted that expectant mothers and their babies in Newry, South Down and South Armagh deserve safe, accessible maternity care close to home. The central point was that the safety of mothers and babies must come first.
Local mother Sinéad Cole told the rally about the birth of her son, who arrived prematurely. She explained that the expertise and care at Daisy Hill Hospital played a crucial role in saving his life. She said she believes that, had she been required to travel to Craigavon Area Hospital in the circumstances surrounding the birth, her son would not have survived. Her account highlighted the need for decisions on maternity provision to be based on clinical evidence, patient safety and the realities faced by women when complications arise in pregnancy or childbirth.
Speakers also raised concerns about travel times. Women travelling from Newry, South Down and South Armagh face significantly longer journeys to another hospital, which the rally heard could cause anxiety and potentially serious clinical risks in cases of premature labour, unexpected complications or rapidly progressing labour. Questions were raised about whether enough ambulances would be available to meet existing demand while also accommodating additional maternity transfers. The committee wants transparent assessments of travel times, ambulance availability, emergency response arrangements and the clinical risks of longer journeys. It says no decision should be implemented without clear evidence that the proposed arrangements can provide safe and timely care.
Event organiser Eddy Curtis said: “The massive attendance at Marcus Square sends a powerful message to the Minister of Health and the Department that the people of Newry, South Down and South Armagh will not stand by quietly while the future of maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital is put at risk.
“This was a community rally, bringing people together because they care about the safety of mothers, babies and families. The turnout demonstrated the strength of public feeling and the determination of our community to protect local healthcare.”
Other speakers turned to the Department of Health’s long-term workforce planning and questioned whether the current difficulties at Daisy Hill could have been anticipated and addressed earlier. The rally heard concerns that inadequate workforce planning, recruitment and retention difficulties, and shortages of appropriately trained staff have contributed to the pressures now facing local maternity provision. The committee believes the Department must explain what long-term workforce strategy was in place, what steps were taken to ensure an adequate supply of maternity professionals and what measures were considered before a temporary suspension was proposed. It acknowledges the pressures on the health service, but says workforce difficulties must not automatically become a justification for removing services from local communities without a full examination of the reasons and the alternatives.
Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie
Curtis added: “We need clear answers about travel times, ambulance availability and the arrangements that would be put in place if a mother experiences an emergency while travelling to another hospital.
“We also need an honest explanation of how the health service reached this position. If workforce shortages are contributing to the proposed suspension, the Department must explain what long-term workforce planning was undertaken and why the current difficulties have arisen.”
Francis Gallagher, Chairman of SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee, said: “On behalf of SOS Daisy Hill, I want to thank everyone who attended Sunday’s rally. The scale of the turnout demonstrated just how important Daisy Hill Hospital is to the people of this area and how deeply concerned our community is about the proposed temporary suspension of maternity services.
“This is fundamentally about the safety of mothers and babies. Women in Newry, South Down and South Armagh deserve confidence that they can access appropriate maternity care without unnecessary delays or additional risks arising from longer journeys.”
Gallagher also stressed that the campaign is not aimed at frontline staff: “We recognise the pressures facing our health service and the dedication of the staff working within it. Our campaign is not directed against frontline healthcare professionals. They deserve our support, and they must not be left to carry the consequences of wider planning failures.”
SOS Daisy Hill intends to make sure the community’s concerns are represented when the Southern Trust discusses maternity services at Daisy Hill on 3 November 2026. The committee is seeking meaningful engagement, transparency on the clinical and workforce evidence, and a full assessment of the implications for patient safety, rural access to healthcare and ambulance provision. It also believes the proposed suspension must be considered in the wider context of healthcare provision in Northern Ireland, including the cumulative impact of previous service changes and the need for a sustainable long-term workforce strategy.
Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie
Gallagher said: “SOS Daisy Hill will continue to press for transparency, proper consultation and a full examination of the evidence supporting the proposed suspension.
“We want the Minister to recognise the strength of community feeling and work urgently with the Trust, clinicians and our campaign to identify a safe and sustainable way forward.
“Daisy Hill Hospital is a vital part of our community. Its future matters to every family who depends on it.”
The committee says every reasonable option to maintain safe, sustainable maternity services at Daisy Hill must be fully explored before the proposed suspension proceeds. It will continue to represent the concerns of local families and work constructively with the Minister, the Department of Health and the Southern Trust. The rally also heard the committee thank all political parties for their combined support and requested them to use their offices to keep maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital.
