This has made the news in Jersey and we’re aware of the problems at the Downe

This has made the news in Jersey and we’re aware of the problems at the Downe

18 February 2015

CHARLES Polson recalled taking part in a hospitals rally in Downpatrick in 1996.

Standing on the Ulster Bank corner on Saturday as a seemingly never ending parade of tractors passed by, Charles remembered being dressed as a doctor on a float at the head of a parade campaigning against plans to remove acute services from the Downe.

Many people at the Love the Downe rally had been at previous health rallies in Downpatrick but what made Charles’ attendance that bit special was he travelled all the way from Jersey to take part.

Charles, his wife Joanne and sons Conor and Stephen, had been on the go from 4am; they flew to Southampton and then to Belfast in order to be part of this latest campaign.

For Charles the reason was quite simple: “We plan to move back here some day and when we do we would like there to be a proper health care system based around the Downe Hospital.”

Charles, who was was born and raised in Newcastle, moved to Jersey several years ago and is now a senior staff nurse working in the field of mental health. He is also the chief nurse in the island’s St. John’s Ambulance service.

“We had intended to return for a holiday at around this time but when we realised the rally was on we decided to arrange our trip around it and we’re really pleased to be here.

“We’re concerned about the problems in the health service in Northern Ireland,” he continued. “The difficulties at the Royal Victoria Hospital A&E department has made the news in Jersey and we’re acutely aware of the problems facing the Downe Hospital.”

Throughout conversation we watched as scores of tractors drove through Downpatrick in an unprecedented show of support from the farming community.

The farmers began gathering outside the Downe Hospital from 12.30 and the numbers took organisers and the police by surprise. By the time they moved off just before 2pm over 100 had gathered - from huge modern monsters to small, beautifully restored, almost delicate relics. Strangely the majority were blue and while most were pristine, several had clearly seen action in particularly muddy fields.

By the time they had moved off it had been hurriedly decided that the tractors would not enter the rally venue in the Market Street car park: “If they go in there’ll be no room for any people,” said one slightly stressed policeman.

Down council vice-chairman,Dessie Patterson, who farms in the foothills of the Mournes, put it simply when he said: “If you want to mobilise a rural community, mobilise the farmers.”

The parade of tractors had huge symbolism for the battle to keep services at the Downe Hospital. The families of farmers, as well as the families of tens of thousands of other residents, feel particularly vulnerable to the creeping reduction in life saving services which is in danger of leaving the Downe a shell and rural people facing dangerous waits when an emergency strikes.

For those on foot, the Ardglass Road outside the Downe was the rallying point and there was a slow build up as the 2pm start time beckoned. But Down people know how to protest and hundreds turned up at the last minute, joining a procession which took almost 30 minutes to pass a single point.

As the protestors left the Ardglass Road and arrived in the town centre via Edward Street and Irish Street, it had picked up many hundreds of others before reaching lower Market Street where a large crowd was waiting to applaud the walkers into the rallying point.

How many were there? It’s impossible to say. In 1992 a Save the Downe parade and rally attracted around 6,000 people and up until Saturday was the biggest ever in Downpatrick. The Love the Downe rally dwarfed it. My conservative reckoning put it at 15,000 but I would not quibble with those who felt it was closer to 20,000. It certainly would qualify as one of the biggest rallies ever held in Northern Ireland to protest against health cuts.

Shops were empty in Market Street as the parade passed, and not one shopkeeper minded as the staff stood outside lending their support to something which has clearly galvanised a community.

Particularly pleasing was the number of young people taking part. Children and teenagers walked the route often with banners pledging the support of their organisation or school - Dramability and St. Patrick’s Primary, Legamaddy, were just two to stand out. 

The six young girls who carried a large banner from the Russell Gaelic Union club ably highlighted the importance of the Downe to not only young people but the thousands of sportsmen and women who regularly take part in competitive sport across the region. “Get injured during a match in Belfast and you’ll be in a hospital in little more than 15 minutes. Get injured down here and it could be closer to two hours,” said Conor Smyth as he watched the parade pass with his six year-old son by his side.

There was also a huge number of prams and pushchairs, again heavy with symbolism as parents fight to retain health services for those coming after.

There were many people exercised by what they saw is an inability of the Ambulance Service to provide an acceptable service to rural communities. As members of Downpatrick Fire and Rescue Service passed by carrying a large banner I was reminded of a recent conversation with a senior fireman who told me the biggest problem facing the Fire and Rescue Service in rural areas at the moment is the length of time it is taking for ambulances to turn up at emergencies.

And still they came. 

Politicians were not at the head of the parade which pleased many onlookers. “They don’t deserve to be leading the rally because they are not leading the community,” said Jim Cunningham, from Newcastle. “There are politicians here from every party and they all oppose the cuts to the Downe but they still happen. Just who is running the health service, the politicians or the bureaucrats?” It was a point echoed continuously throughout the day.

As expected there was a huge turnout from the trade unions whose members carried banners, flags and posters. Porters, social workers, administration staff, nurses and community staff were all identified protesting in a way they dare not do outside such an event. It is almost impossible to get a health worker to speak publicly about the problems facing staff at the Downe or in the rural community so great is the fear of retribution from managers within the South Eastern Trust.

Finally the tail end of the parade joined the huge crowd in the car park and the band that had provided entertainment gave way to organisers from the Down Community Health Committee for the rallying speeches.

There were just four speakers - politicians had not been invited to speak - and they lasted almost 40 minutes. Patricia McKeown, the head of Unison in Northern Ireland, was billed as the keynote speaker, but it was Eamonn McGrady, chairman of the Down Community Health Committee, who delivered the most rumbustious speech - challenging, defiant and combative.

By the end of the last speech a lot of people had drifted away but the day was not about speeches it was about putting the maximum number of people on the streets to send a message to the South Eastern Health Trust but more importantly to the Heath Minister, Jim Wells. 

Every political party along with farmers, sports clubs, businesses, fishermen, health service workers and parents are totally opposed to the cuts and frightened by their likely consequences. Now they have been joined by over 15,000 local residents whose message to the Health Minister couldn’t be clearer — “What are you going to do about it Jim?”