Call to attend rally in support of Daisy Hill

Call to attend rally in support of Daisy Hill

10 May 2017

PEOPLE are being encouraged to attend a major rally in Newry this weekend in support of emergency services at Daisy Hill hospital.

The rally — which takes place at Middlebank on Saturday morning at 11am — was organised before the Southern Health Trust announced it had aborted plans to axe overnight A&E services at the hospital. 

Concerns over the future of Daisy Hill’s short-staffed emergency department emerged recently when health officials revealed they had drawn up contingency plans to ensure patient care was safe.

However, it was confirmed last week that an interim solution had been agreed following a meeting of senior health officials and that the A&E department in Newry will continue to operate 24/7.

Ahead of the weekend rally, South Down MLA Chris Hazzard and Newry, Mourne and Down Council chairwoman Gillian Fitzpatrick are urging people to attend the event.

Mr Hazzard said more work is needed to secure the future of the 24-hour emergency services and address concerns over fracture clinics and orthopaedic services at the hospital.

“The campaign for Daisy Hill must continue and I call on the South Down community to join staff, patients and local action groups in Newry this Saturday to stand together in solidarity against the destruction of Daisy Hill,” he declared.

“Sinn Féin will continue to engage with the Trust, staff, health authorities, unions and user groups to ensure first-class health service provision for the local community.”

Councillor Fitzpatrick said the rally will focus on supporting the retention of full acute services at Daisy Hill, in particular, 24-hour A&E provision. She said the rally will build on the excellent work of the community campaign which has ensured the Southern Health Trust has acknowledged the clinical need for this service.

“Whilst our immediate concern is for emergency services, it is essential that in this era of centralisation we must come together to fight for the people of Newry, Mourne and Down. Rural areas are particularly hit by centralising services as the poor roads infrastructure and public transport system mean difficulties for both patients and relatives in accessing hospital services.”

Councillor Fitzpatrick said the additional transport requirements will place an extra burden on what is universally agreed to be an already overstretched ambulance service.

She added: “Even if an ambulance is immediately available, many parts of Newry, Mourne and Down cannot be reached within the eight minute target time for a category A life threatening emergency; problems which will be compounded if ambulances are tied up transporting patients to centralised services and if local emergency department services are reduced.”