A&E shut in Downe

A&E shut in Downe

1 April 2020

THE Downe Hospital’s emergency department has been temporarily closed as part of sweeping changes implemented by health chiefs preparing for the expected surge in coronavirus cases.

The department closed on Monday morning with critical care staff and some equipment relocated to the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald as part of a radical overhaul of services to cope with the global pandemic.

The day procedure unit, outpatients department and minor injuries service at the Downpatrick hospital have also been closed, but the critically important GP out-of-hours service remains operational.

Inpatient wards and acute mental heath and psychiatry services for the elderly remain open, as does the hospital’s midwifery-led unit, but no births are being allowed to take place for the time being.

The South Eastern Trust said that as the organisation prepares “for the biggest challenge it has ever faced” it needs to reshape its hospitals and other services on a temporary basis to maximise its ability to “manage the surge in demand for services due to COVID-19.”

While local politicians have reluctantly accepted the closure of several key services at the Downe as part of a reconfiguration plan, they say public and private assurances from senior health trust officials that the changes are temporary must be honoured and all services fully restored when the crisis is over.

News of the closure of the Downe’s emergency department and other services came ahead of confirmation that the Downpatrick hospital is one of 10 locations across the Province which has been designated as a primary care COVID-19 assessment centre which is expected to open before the end of the week.

The new centre — designed to help manage the expected increase in coronavirus cases in the community —  will allow patients who are showing symptoms of the virus to be separated from those with non COVID-19 conditions.

Health chiefs insist that the new service is “essential” to ensure that vital GP services can be maintained over the coming weeks and months with minimum disruption.

The new centre is not a testing facility and is only there for patients who are unwell and suspected of having the virus and require medical attention. Patients will not be able to report directly to the centre without being referred by their own GP or the Downe’s out-of-hours service.

In addition, patients attending the centre will receive appropriate treatment, assessment and, if necessary, onward referral to hospital.

The new centre is designed to allow GPs and health and social care staff to work together in a suitable clinical environment and to plan what is best for the individual in terms of treatment and any additional care they need.

Defending the decision to close a number of services at the Downe Hospital, the South Eastern Trust says that each of its hospitals and services has a vital role to play in the fight against COVID-19. 

“We must now make changes to some services in all of our hospitals to prepare for the additional critical care services needed and to achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients,” it said in a statement.

“We must deploy our staff and resources to best position us to provide the critical care which will be required for our local populations and to give our staff the essential training they need in order to equip them as much as possible for the challenge ahead.”

The health trust says that it needs to ensure that its staff can be as prepared as possible to help fight the impact of COVID-19.

The statement continued: “Retraction of the most acute services from some sites, in a planned manner, is the best way to support our entire patient population and gives our staff the best chance to prepare for and manage the challenges and pressures upon us.

“The Downe Hospital will play a vital role as part of the hospital network in responding to this crisis, particularly through the provision of inpatient services and through working alongside primary care to enable as many patients as possible to be cared for at home.”

Health chiefs say they believe it is imperative to respond now to provide the local community with the best possible outcomes and also to support staff as best it can. 

The health trust says it recognises the importance and value of all its sites and services within its communities.

The statement adds: “The Trust would like to assure the community that changes made over the coming weeks and months are solely part of the effort to meet and manage the challenges presented by COVID-19, the scale of which we have never faced before.  

“All service changes will continue to be reviewed and monitored, with the intention to fully restore services to normal as soon as possible. Every one of us has a role to play in the fight against coronavirus. We urge the public to help us protect themselves and others by staying at home and following all advice.”

Health chiefs say that with the situation rapidly changing plans must continue to be flexible and have asked for everyone’s commitment and support “during these most difficult times”.