Please attend meeting

SIR, — In a very small, unventilated room in South Eastern Trust headquarters the Trust Board sprawled around half of the tiny space whilst a small ribbon packed uncomfortably and tightly right outside into the corridor where many people were forced to sit.

The Trust outlined without specific detail how they were going to cut £10m out of the £70m shortfall announced.

To the outsider the significance of the apparent lack of cuts to the Downe may have been lost. Considering the already beleaguered stated of the Downe, the People’s Hospital, one would think there wasn’t much left to take away.

However, the indirect impact was very quickly apparent to health campaigners. Waiting lists will be crippled while over 700 people in pain and discomfort will wait even longer for procedures. Locum and agency staff will be reduced, contracts will not be renewed.

It would be unfair not to comment on the sterling work at present carried out by our doctors, nurses and auxiliary staff. Whilst severely financially challenged what the Downe does it does well and if properly funded and resourced could do so much more.

Given the exorbitant amount of money pumped into the Health Service one can only be amazed at this £70m shortfall.

The Down Community Health Committee will hold a special meeting at the Downe Hospital, on the Ardglass Road, this Wednesday, August 30, at 7pm, in the training room on the first floor. There will be plenty of parking space and lifts for the elderly and those physically and mentally challenged.

This meeting is being held in conjunction with Unison.

The purpose is to give information and discuss future steps to save our services. Everyone is welcome and if you are shy about public speaking your comments will be delivered by others. You are important; it is for you, the people, that we the Down Community Health Committee, works tirelessly. If you care be there.

Yours etc,

ANNE TRAINOR,

Downpatrick.