Deputy First Minister to pay visit to Downe

Deputy First Minister to pay visit to Downe

17 June 2015

DEPUTY First Minister Martin McGuinness is to visit the Downe Hospital.

He committed himself to visiting the £64m hospital — which was officially opened five years ago — during a meeting with the Down Community Health Committee yesterday.

Mr McGuinness met with the health group’s chairman Eamonn McGrady and committee members Ann Trainor, John Carson and Marion Ritchie at his private office, listening intently to their concerns.

The Deputy First Minister said he is aware of the issues facing the Downe, explaining his party is kept abreast of developments by South Down MLA Chris Hazzard who was also at yesterday’s meeting.

Mr McGuinness said he was delighted to meet with the delegation and confirmed that in addition to accepting an invitation to visit the Downpatrick hospital, he will inform First Minister Peter Robinson and Health Minister Simon Hamilton that he has met with campaigners.

“I am very conscious of the issues at the Downe Hospital,” the minister told the Down Recorder. “Chris Hazzard has been to the forefront of this issue for some time and has kept the party fully briefed. I was very impressed that 20,000 people took to the streets of Downpatrick in February as part of campaign rally. The Downe Hospital is clearly a big issue in the area.”

Mr McGuinness, who revealed he followed the Love the Downe rally on Twitter, welcomed confirmation that the Assembly’s Health Committee is planning to visit the Downe Hospital.

“This visit is particularly important because to address the issues and challenges people face in South Down it is very important to secure cross-party support. The Health Committee draws its members from a number of parties and the visit to Downpatrick will be useful,” he continued, confirming he is “absolutely willing” to accept the invitation to visit the Downe.

The Deputy First Minister explained the Stormont Executive has set up a ministerial sub-group that looks at regional opportunities in areas where people feel disadvantaged. He said while its work focuses mainly on areas west of the Bann, he believes it is the Executive’s duty and responsibility to address all the issues.

“Given the issues raised with me today, I think it would be useful for the ministerial sub-group to have a conversation around the Downe Hospital as well,” he added, confirming he is willing to see what he can do to ensure the people of South Down get the services they deserve.

Mr McGrady described the meeting with Mr McGuinness “as another essential step in the Downe campaign.” He said it’s important people come to realise the significance of hospital provision for those in rural communities, not just in Downpatrick, but across the six counties.

“We have no doubt Mr McGuinness realises the importance of the hospital issue for our community. The fact 20,000 people took to the streets last February was a total game changer as far as we were concerned. The community is looking to politicians to make decisions and for civil servants to implement those decisions.

He added: “We are looking to the Deputy First Minister to directly intervene if necessary to protect services at the Downe Hospital where we want to see the restoration of the dedicated coronary care unit and 24-hour accident and emergency provision. As we have said many times before, we are not looking for services that were not previously available in Downpatrick; services which the local community needs and relies heavily upon.”

Mrs Trainor said “it is not right members of the local community are being treated like second class citizens,” while Mr Carson appealed to Mr McGuinness to assist campaigners to ensure the tens of thousands of people who live in the district, and the thousands of others who visit, have access to a local hospital which delivers service capable of meeting their needs. 

Mrs Ritchie highlighted concerns around the centralisation of services in hospitals in the greater Belfast area at the expense of places like the Downe.