Outpatient clinic plans are welcomed by campaigners

Outpatient clinic plans are welcomed by campaigners

6 July 2016

HEALTH campaigners have welcomed plans to centralise ophthalmology outpatient services at the Downe Hospital. 

The Belfast Trust is currently consulting on the proposal which the Down Community Health Committee views as a significantly positive development to enhance services available at the Downpatrick hospital.

Health chiefs are proposing to change and modernise the way ophthalmology outpatient services are delivered by the Belfast Trust in the Northern, Southern and South Eastern Trust areas.

It is being proposed that ophthalmic services which are currently provided from four locations within the South Eastern Trust area including the Downe, Ards, Bangor and Ulster hospitals, will be consolidated to provide one-stop patient services, with enhanced diagnostics and treatment options at the ophthalmic clinical centre at the Downe. Existing outpatient services at the Lagan Valley Hospital will be retained. 

Down Community Health Committee chairman, Eamonn McGrady, is encouraging people to respond to the consultation period which ends on August 5 and has welcomed plans to enhance ophthalmology services in Downpatrick.

At a meeting of the campaign group on Monday night, Mr McGrady said the proposed specialist centre at the Downe would deliver an enhanced range of services and there would be no need for patients to make multiple visits to Belfast for treatment.

He said the consultation document states that under the Belfast Trust’s proposals, patients will be given an “enhanced choice” and there would be a higher standard of consistent care, better opportunities for staff to develop their skills and profession and with less consultant travel time, doctors would be able to see more patients.

“We are talking about a service which deals with outpatients only. There are concerns in the  consultation document about transport infrastructure and access to services and that is very important for us here as there is a difficulty with access to services as we all know.

“Currently, there are nine local clinics being held each week in the Downe, Ards, Ulster and Bangor hospitals and it is proposed they would all move to Downpatrick under this proposal.”

Mr McGrady said he suspected campaigners would be in favour of what is being proposed and his view was overwhelmingly endorsed by those who attended Monday night’s meeting.

He continued: “This is about bringing extra and enhanced services to the town and is something we would welcome, but we also would not want to displace any existing services currently provided at the Downe. I know the local health commissioning group is very keen for ophthalmology provision to be enhanced at the Downpatrick hospital.”

Mr McGrady said he hopes local politicians, political parties and Newry, Mourne and Down Council will be responding in favour of the Belfast Trust proposal, adding: “This is good news for the Downe Hospital.”

Seamus McMullan voiced support for the proposal, explaining he was referred to the Downe’s ophthalmology clinic recently and upon arrival was seen immediately, while Unison official, Marion Ritchie, described the ophthalmology suite at the Downpatrick hospital as “second to none.” She praised the efforts of ophthalmic consultant, Dr Patricia Early, who has been spearheading the service locally.

“The staff are superb and fully support the proposal to enhance the services provided at the Downe. I would urge everyone to respond to this consultation. Unison already has and I would encourage others to do so as well. This proposal is about providing an even more superior service and something we should support,” she added.

The Trust’s consultation document and equality impact assessment are available at http://www.belfasttrust.hscni.net/about/Consultations.htm