DOWNPATRICK — Health unions are to spearhead a campaign of opposition to the latest threat to Downpatrick’s acute hospitals which was unveiled last week.
Within 24 hours of the Eastern Health Board publishing a report which puts the future of the Downe and Maternity hospitals in jeopardy, union officials were pledging to fight any move to downgrade hospital services in the town.
Already Down Council and the Down Community Health Committee have joined the campaign which has just three months to persuade senior health officials that the two hospitals should remain opening.
However, several senior union officials and local politicians have warned that the present threat is much more serious than that posed by the last Eastern Health Board plan to close the Downe Hospital which floundered in 1984.
The treat comes in the form of a Board report which sets out guidelines for the provision of hospital services under new Government legislation which comes into operation in February 1993.
Under the legislation the Board will pay its various units of management to supply hospital services throughout the area and it is with this in mind that the Board has published “A Framework for Acute Hospital Services.”
In the report the Board makes it clear that it does not view the Downe Hospital as being capable of providing this service, thus clearly saying to the Down and Lisburn Unit of Management that hospital services at the Downe and maternity hospitals will not be purchased.
After Thursday’s publication of the report senior Downpatrick health union official, Mr Raymond Blaney, said he was “completely devastated” by the contents of the document.
Mr Blaney, who as a former member of both Down Council and the Eastern Health Board was at the forefront of the last hospitals campaign, said that if the report is adopted as it stands it will mean the closure of the town’s three hospitals
“Should the report be accepted without amendment it will not only mean the closure of the Downe and Maternity hospitals but the Downshire as well, because it is not possible to have psychiatric services without a full medical back-up facility,” said Mr Blaney.
PORTAFERRY — Portaferry has won the duel with Killyleagh this week to become the site of the new Strangford Lough liaison office.
The decision to locate the management office in Portaferry was taken at a meeting of the Strangford Lough Management Committee.
Portaferry had always been the most likely location for the office – chiefly because of the voting split on the committee – but there had been strong lobby on behalf of Killyleagh to counter the sustained efforts of Ards Borough Councillors to win the siting battle.
The Killyleagh and District Development Committee actively tried to influence the decision on behalf of the town, graining valuable support from the two Down District councillors on the management committee, Mr Sam Osborne and Mr John Ritchie.
The most likely location for the office is said to be the Queen’s University marine biology station in the ferry town.
Meanwhile, South Down SDLP MP, Mr Eddie McGrady, who campaigned on behalf of Killyleagh, said this week he has raised the decision with the Environment Minister, Mr Robert Arkins.
“I have made it clear on a number of occasions the need for this office to be located In Killyleagh which is the gateway to the lough.
“I have challenged the decision on a number of grounds, including the availability of buildings in Killyleagh.”
He continued: “it is my view that Killyleagh would be a suitable location for this office including an interpretative centre. This could be linked with the educational resource at Seaboard.
SEAFORDE — Approval has been given this week for a lining scheme at Down Council’s dump at Drumnakelly, near Seaforde.
Councillors have given the go-ahead for a £6,000 protecting lining to be laid on a new section of the land-fill site.
They made their decision after waiving a standing order requiring tenders for all council contracts.
Environmental and technical services director, Mr Bob Arnott, said the £6,000 estimate was reasonable. The same company has provided the lining for the first phase of the dump.
The announcement comes as work gets underway to increase dumping capacity at the site. Diggers are expected to move in shortly to begin removing rock.
NEWCASTLE — The Eastern Health Board decision to close Mourne House has been described as “contemptible” by supporters of the Newcastle home.
The Friends of Mourne House said Thursday’s decision was solely about money and nothing else, and flew in the face of public opinion from every section of the greater Newcastle community.
Speaking after the decision Friends spokesman, Mr Damien Smyth, claimed all the Unit of Management is interested in is the money which could be made by the closure and sale of Mourne House.
He said that despite a keen interest being shown in the home by the Presbyterian Residential Trust, the Unit was still keen push through a closure.
“The worst thing that could happen from the Unit of Management’s point of view is for the Trust to come up with a scheme to keep the home open,” said Mr Smyth.
“This would deprive the unit of the ability to sell the home and take the money elsewhere without one penny being used in the Newcastle area,” he added.
“Our group has viewed the whole exercise very cynically and we saw nothing in Thursday’s proceedings to change our minds.”
However, Mr Smyth said the Friends group intends to pursue the possibilities of the Presbyterian Trust taking over the home through a meeting with its representatives later this week.
BISHOPSCOURT — An environmental group this week entered the Bishopscourt race track row.
Friends of the Earth is offering its “wholehearted support” to residents who oppose plans to develop the former RAP base into a top motorcycling venue.
FoE says the project is unnecessary and that any benefits to tourism will come at a high environmental price.
The organisation has broken its silence on the issue after discovering what it says is conclusive proof that the development should not be allowed to proceed.
It alleges that evidence of unacceptably high levels will be contained in an ‘environmental impact assessment’ to be presented at a public inquiry which is expected to be held on the issue.
FoE co-ordinator, Mr Keith Bradford, claims these factors, coupled with litter and traffic problems, should be enough to prevent the project going ahead.
“We do not have the facilities in place to cope with this kind of development. Down Council will have difficulty controlling it and it will be an additional strain on their already over-burdened waste disposal programme,” Mr Bradford remarked.
CROSSGAR — Top TV wildlife expert Sir David Attenborough has predicted Northern Ireland’s newest wildlife facility in Crossgar will be an outstanding success.
Sir David made his prediction at the official opening of the Ulster Wildlife Centre last week.
Sir David, who was the guest of honour, described the centre, which is situated in the grounds of Tobar Mhuire monastery, as one of the best in the United Kingdom.
“This place is quite extraordinary. It is a great centre. I think having wildlife is one the greatest joys of life,” he said.
The opening ceremony came five years after work began on the site. Now up and running, it is being seen as a focus for the environmental movement in the province.
DUNDRUM – A young boy was rescued from Dundrum Bay on Sunday after the inflatable dinghy he was in drifted away from the beach.
The boy was playing with a friend near Murlough Nature Reserve the the dinghy was swept out to sea. However, a man, who was swimming nearby, swam out and brought the young boy back to shore.
Newcastle lifeboat and local Coastguard members were alerted, but the young boy was unharmed.