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Members of the public are being asked to turn out in large number for the SOS Daisy Hill Rally this Sunday 25 October, 2.30pm at Marcus Square, Hill Street, Newry.
The rally has been organised to protest at the removal of inpatient Maternity Services from the hospital with a claim by the Southern Trust that it's necessary because they can't get consultants to work at the hospital. The Trust have said that services will be removed 'temporarily' from the 23 November. The concern as always is that any time previously the Trust has said a move is temporary, it has become permanent!
A Trust spokesperson said "The Southern Trust is continuing its efforts to secure Consultant Obstetricians for Daisy Hill Hospital while also preparing contingency arrangements to temporarily consolidate births and inpatient maternity care at Craigavon Area Hospital from 23 November 2026"
On Tuesday 20 October political representatives attended a Daisy Hill Meeting with Health Minister, SOS Daisy Hill and the Daisy Hill Future Group.
Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins and party colleagues Dáire Hughes MP and MLA Aoife Finnegan were in attendance.
United message
Kimmins said: "A very robust discussion where we raised the grave concerns facing Daisy Hill maternity services and reiterated the need for everything possible to be done to avoid a suspension of this vital service.
"The Health Minister outlined the extensive efforts that have been made to date, and stressed that work remains ongoing to try and find a solution.
"My colleagues and I emphasised the serious impact this is having on expectant mothers and staff, and we put forward further suggestions that the Minister and his team have agreed to explore as part of their efforts.
"A united message from everyone in attendance was resounding, Daisy Hill maternity must be protected.
Sinn Féin remain determined to ensure an urgent solution is found, and will continue to work with everyone in the days and weeks ahead to make sure Daisy Hill will keep delivering."
Keep the doors open
SDLP MLA Justin McNulty was also present. He said: “Speaking with the Health Minister was an important opportunity for SOS Daisy Hill and the Daisy Hill Future Group to be heard by key decision-makers in the Department of Health, including the Health Minister and his Senior Officials.
"In the meeting the Minister affirmed his dedication to ensuring that Daisy Hill maternity services remain open. Members of both groups asked many questions regarding difficult problems that still need answered. I will continue to bring these issues to the Health Minister and the Southern Trust. Daisy Hill maternity services are not expendable and the safest option for mothers and babies is keeping the doors open.”
McNulty also called upon the north’s First Ministers to unite publicly in support of the retention of maternity services at Daisy Hill hospital.
In making the unity call, the MLA said the impact of a pledge by Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little Pengelly to protect maternity facilities in Daisy Hill would send out “the strongest possible message.”
Service Collapse
Alliance MLA Andrew McMurray has expressed concern at the removal of the service. “I am very concerned at the suggestion that maternity services could be withdrawn from Daisy Hill and moved to Craigavon Area Hospital.
“This is what service collapse looks like - it is not an example of transformation."
Nicola Grant from The Workers Party said: "Whilst the argument for closure put forward by the trust and the medical profession is the safety of the mothers and babies. None of them seems to have taken onboard the inherent danger and risks for women in labour travelling miles to get to Craigavon Maternity unit across roads that are not fit for purpose and the stress this adds to parents. No one in this decision-making process has adequately addressed this issue, nor have they factored in that the majority of mothers never see a consultant and midwives carry out the delivery procedures."
All-Island Hospital Configuration
Marc Mac Seáin of People Before Profit believes we are well down the path of Managed Decline, of “Reform” Centralisation.
"We need to practically change course, or else Daisy Hill’s Emergency Department will be next."
He gave a list of changes that he believes are needed: The 2016 Bengoa Report needs revoked & replaced. There needs to be a change to consultant & general staff work procedures, not siloing them off into individual hospitals or Trusts but at least regional but ideally all-Island fair distribution. There needs to be an All-island hospital configuration, service distribution with a system wide collaboration between health services North-South.It needs to be acknowledged that administratively Daisy Hill is the area hospital not just for South Armagh, South Down, Newry but for Dundalk, Castleblaney, East Monaghan, North Louth. Lastly the Health minister should be committed to all of the above.
Patient safety comes first
Aontu representative Roisin Mulgrew added: "Patient safety must come first - at Daisy Hill and at Craigavon. I cannot accept that centralisation is automatically the safer answer.
"The answer to staffing shortages at Daisy Hill is an urgent plan to recruit, retain and secure the medical cover necessary to provide maternity care in Newry.
"This is particularly important for the large rural and border population Daisy Hill serves. A woman in labour in Forkhill or Cullaville cannot be treated as a number on a spreadsheet."
