DOWN Council has unveiled details of a four-pronged initiative as it bids retain the jobs of 33 finance staff based at the Downshire Hospital in Downpatrick.
Local politicians agreed the move at their monthly meeting on Monday night when they discussed the controversial proposal by the Business Services Organisation (BSO) to transfer the jobs of the local staff to Ballymena as part of a radical shake-up of health service administrative posts across the Province.
There was unanimous support for a proposal by Rowallane councillor Maria McCarthy to demand a meeting on the jobs issue with Stormont Health Minister Edwin Poots.
He has so far refused to meet politicians, arguing the BSO proposals are currently out to public consultation and that it would be “inappropriate to engage in separate dialogue with them while the formal consultation process was running its course.”
Councillors say they are determined to meet him and won’t take no for an answer. They also plan to raise the refusal by Mr. Poots with the First and Deputy First Ministers and the Northern Ireland Local Government Association.
Councillors have also agreed to set up a cross-party delegation to seek a meeting with the Stormont Health Committee on the jobs issue.
Councillor McCarthy said the Health Minister was “treating them with contempt.”
She added: “The proposed transfer of jobs out of this area is a crucial issue and has major implications. We need to make our views known to influence the outcome of the consultation process. Various figures contained in the consultation document are not accurate and have to be robustly challenged.”
Councillor Terry Andrews said Mr. Poots declined previous requests for meetings to discuss issues relating to the Downe Hospital and funding for the Home Start organisation.
“Down Council is committed to the finance staff at the Downshire and all the district’s public sector employees,” he added.
Councillor John Doris said the Minister’s decision illustrated “how poorly they were being treated” and said the reward for the excellence of the Downshire staff was being moved to Ballymena.
Councillor Éamonn Mac Con Midhe pointed to “inaccuracies” in the BSO consultation document, while Councillor Billy Walker backed calls to ask Mr. Poots for another meeting.
Council chairman Dermot Curran said he was “disappointed” the Minister declined to meet with the council and highlighted the importance of pressing the case for the retention of the jobs with the Stormont Health Committee.
He added: “There are inaccuracies in the consultation document. There are lots of reasons why there should not be a transfer to Ballymena. We cannot understand the consultant’s preferred option and we are not going to let Downpatrick be forgotten.”
Councillor Willie Clarke
said the South Down area had a “rich history” of health service provision and that important services which were vital to members of the community and the local economy should be retained.