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The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has agreed a plan to stabilise inpatient medical services at Daisy Hill Hospital at its Trust Board meeting, which took place at Monaghan Row in Newry today. The plan has been welcomed by the Department of Health but some speakers at the meeting were still sceptical.
The plans concentrate on immediately stabilising services for the summer months in light of challenges with senior medical cover.
Minimum of 83 beds
The trust say they will keep a minimum "83 commissioned medical beds" although the figure for the number of beds currently available seemed to be different depending on who was speaking. The Trust claim that figure is 104 but Justin McNulty MLA and Dr Donal Duffin claimed there were 142 beds occupied at present with a potential 180 needed in the winter.
Diversion of stroke patients
The Trust in a statement released today say that due to a shortage of stroke consultants at Daisy Hill Hospital, all suspected acute stroke patients being transferred to hospital by ambulance are being diverted to an alternative Emergency Department. Arrangements are in place 24/7 for patients who present at Daisy Hill ED and are assessed as having a stroke. They will receive appropriate treatment including thrombolysis, on site. Patients will be transferred to Craigavon Area or the Royal Victoria Hospital for acute stroke care and those who require continued rehabilitation will return to Daisy Hill Hospital Stroke/Rehab ward. Patients should always phone 999 with suspected stroke symptoms.
Chief Operating Officer appointed
Additional moves announced by the Trust see Mary Burke appointed as Chief Operating Officer for Daisy Hill and three senior medical consultants from Craigavon Hospital who will provide support to the Daisy Hill team. A temporary MRI scanner has also been secured for the Daisy Hill site to reduce transfers for diagnostics.
Transfers to Craigavon
Those requiring specialist inpatient care for some conditions for example gastro intestinal and Stroke may be transferred to Craigavon Area Hospital with the Trust securring additional private ambulance cover to transport patients between Daisy Hill and Craigavon Area hospitals, if needed.
Training
Around training the Trust are working with regional colleagues and Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency to support postgraduate educational teaching, training and examination preparation support for doctors in training.
Medical Cover
Recruitment for consultants at Daisy Hill continues with a number of Craigavon Area Hospital doctors providing support to inpatient care at Daisy Hill and to develop Acute Care at Home in the area. These will be backfilled by additional locum staff. Three senior medical consultants — Dr Patricia McCaffery, Dr Philip Murphy and Dr Damien Gormley — from Craigavon Hospital will be providing support to the Daisy Hill team.
Enhancement packages will be made available for Consultants to work in Daisy Hill Hospital. TheTrust are liaising with regional colleagues to provide support with outpatient gastro intestinal clinics and working to improve timely patient discharge and improve patient flow our hospitals.
Work Continues
The Trust say that the plan secures the acute status of Daisy Hill Hospital and maintains the Emergency Department on a 24/7 basis whilst minimising impact on other services and that work will continue to secure the longer term sustainability of the hospital, with input from the Department of Health and wider HSC system.
Speaking at the meeting, Trust Chief Executive Dr Maria O’Kane said: “I would like to thank our own staff and regional colleagues who have worked intensively to find a solution to maintaining services and patient safety at Daisy Hill. Our medical team in particular have been working under extremely difficult circumstances and have shown great dedication to securing the service whilst supporting medical education and training.
“The aim of this process has been to find a sustainable way forward for the hospital, its patients and staff. Ensuring patient safety and supporting our staff have been absolute priorities.
“We want to develop more alternatives to inpatient medical admissions where appropriate and improve patient flow and discharge. Patients should continue to use the hospital as referred by their health care professional. Patients with less urgent symptoms should phone first between 9am and 9pm Monday to Friday 0300 123 3 111. With acute life threatening symptoms always phone 999 or take the patient to their nearest ED, where our dedicated team will assess them and ensure they get the most appropriate care.”
Dr O’Kane continued: “Whilst we are now more optimistic about stabilising services, rising demand, financial and workforce pressures and the need for modernisation, remain very real challenges across health and social care. We continue to work with regional colleagues to address these issues and on agreeing a permanent plan for the future of all local hospitals.
“We greatly welcome the strength of public support for staff and services at Daisy Hill. We are currently working on our longer term vision for the hospital, which, building on recent developments like the electrical investment, Monaghan Row acquisition, Community Care and Treatment Centre and regional elective surgical hub, aims to maintain and promote Daisy Hill as an essential part of the regional acute network.”
Stability for summer months
The Department of Health welcomed todays stabilisation plan for Daisy Hill which they say will provide stability for the summer months with further intensive work required for the medium and longer term future.
Department of Health Permanent Secretary Peter May said: “I pay tribute to the commitment of clinicians and Trust management to address the significant challenges with senior medical cover at Daisy Hill Hospital.
“There will be no let up in the efforts to secure a stable future for the hospital. Daisy Hill provides vital care to the local community and is an important part of NI’s hospital network.
“The Department and Trust remain determined to minimise impact on services from the clinical staffing issues and to protect Daisy Hill’s Emergency Department.
“The Department has underlined its support for Daisy Hill with the decision to designate it as a regional overnight surgery centre and with the announcement earlier this year of a £9.1m upgrade of the hospital’s electrical infrastructure.”
Mr May added: “I would appeal to political and community representatives to continue working with Southern Trust, as it tackles the challenges facing Daisy Hill. These challenges are the same as those experienced by local hospitals across different jurisdictions.
“Unfounded claims about plans to ‘downgrade’ hospitals damage the ability of the Trust to recruit staff and stabilise services.”
The Stability Plan
Read the plan here Daisy Hill Hospital Stability Plan Update
