Downe A&E decision may face legal challenge

Downe A&E decision may face legal challenge

9 September 2015

HEALTH campaigners are to discuss the possibility of legally challenging decisions by the South Eastern Trust to reduce emergency provision at the Downe Hospital and shut its dedicated coronary care ward.

The emergency department’s opening hours were reduced in December 2013 as a result of a shortage of middle grade doctors, while almost 12 months later the hospital’s coronary care ward merged with a medical ward.

The merger was part of a series of “contingency measures” the South Eastern Trust imposed across the organisation in line with a directive from the Department of Health which warned its finances did not match what was needed to deliver services across the Province up until the end of March this year.

Campaigners are concerned the decision to close the dedicated coronary care ward was taken without public consultation and while the move was described as “temporary,” it remains shut with a number of staff who used to run the unit redeployed to other hospitals.

The possibility of seeking a judicial review of the Trust’s decisions will be discussed at next week’s meeting of the Down Community Health Committee. It will be held on Monday night at Denvir’s Coaching Inn at 7pm.

Ahead of the meeting, Mrs Ann Trainor said there is concern the coronary care ward was closed without public debate and that promises the move would be “temporary” have not been honoured.

The Community Health Committee official said guarantees were given that the changes in service provision at the Downe would be kept under close review and scrutiny by the Trust and that if it was decided the proposals should become permanent, “they would be subject to consultation.”

She continued: “Legally challenging the closure of services at the Downe is something we are considering. There was no public consultation and it is now over nine months since the changes to coronary care provision were introduced. 

“The decision in December 2013 to end 24-hour A&E provision at the Downe and introduce a service between 8am and 8pm was made without warning and taken in the teeth of Christmas.”

Mrs Trainor issued a reminder that the government’s Developing Better Services document on the future of hospital services said the Downe should have an additional range of services to support a 24-hour A&E unit, capable of providing resuscitation and emergency coronary care and a consultant-led inpatient medical service to provide a level of services appropriate to the needs of the area.

She added: “This is what this community expects and demands and I hope as many people as possible will attend next Monday night’s meeting as we continue the campaign to sustain and enhance the range of services provided at our hospital.”