The most recent full Department of Health Report, ‘Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together’ brought out by former Health Minister Michelle O’Neill, MLA – stated:
“the Health service belongs to all of us… Everyone who uses and delivers our health and social care services must be treated with respect, listened to and supported to work as real partners within the HSC system.” *
Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together’ p19
When it comes to any decisions made about Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry and any of the Acute Hospitals here in this NI region, these Principles in Delivering Together and the Rules and Procedures around the spending of public money and the statutory accountability of all who deliver and attempt to withdraw Regional Health public services must be followed.
Emergency Surgery and Acute Stroke Services are REGIONAL Services. They cannot be centralised again from a major Acute Hospital like Daisy Hill without a valid Population Needs Assessment and a full Regional Public Consultation by the Department of Health. A local or individual Health Trust Consultation is NOT enough to make a decision to withdraw vital Regional Services like Accident and Emergency Surgical or Medical services from one area of NI which is going to have a detrimental adverse effect on the lives of everyone across the NI region.
FAILURE TO FOLLOW DUE PROCESS MEANS THE DECISIONS ARE INVALID.
The local catchment population are asking for and are entitled to fair treatment and continuing access to acute hospital premises when it comes to the availability of Emergency Surgery and Emergency Stroke services in their acute hospital Daisy Hill, Newry City.
CENTRALISED TO NINE MAJOR ACUTE HOSPITALS IN 2003
In 2003, following the Hayes Review and Regional Consultation, Acute Hospital Provision including 24/7 Consultant Led Accident and Emergency Services and Maternity services were Centralised to nine major acute hospitals. It was recognised by the Department of Health at that time, following the Regional Consultation that the three newly designated acute hospitals in Newry, Enniskillen, and Coleraine, were also needed as well as the so called “Golden Six” to provide timely access to Acute Hospital services as well as ensuring timely access to 24/7 Consultant- Led Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medical Services and Maternity Services to everyone no matter where they choose to live in NI.
All three acute hospitals are situated within predominately rural areas with no nearby acute hospital which can provide timely access to Accident and Emergency and Maternity services.
>FURTHER ACTIONS AND REQUIRED SOLUTIONS
For those wishing to take further action for Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry as a designated Acute Hospital, people can build on the action of the SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee who recently drafted a letter to send to the Southern Trust Chief Executive which expressed opposition to the decisions to remove Emergency Surgery and Acute Stroke services from Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry to Craigavon Hospital.
SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR REQUIRED SOLUTIONS:
The Southern Trust must:
>1. Immediately return vital life saving Regional Emergency Surgery and Regional Acute Stroke Services to Daisy Hill.
>2. Invest properly in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry to ensure the large population in Newry & District is provided for and to fulfil their statutory and legal obligations towards Equality, Human Rights, Rural Needs, Rights of the Child, Good relations and Climate Change regulations.
>3. Return permanently specialist acute inpatient beds to Daisy Hill Hospital
>4. Buy permanent major diagnostic equipment for Daisy Hill Hospital and
>5. Recruit properly for staff for Daisy Hill Hospital and stop prioritising Craigavon and (Lurgan (non acute)) Hospitals.
People can keep asking MLAs, Newry Mourne and Down Council Councillors and officials, local representatives on the Southern Local Commissioning Group, the Southern Trust, DoH NI, Patient Client Council, Public Health Agency, Equality Commission, Older People’s Commission, Children and Young Peoples Commission for all these five solutions detailed above for Daisy Hill: (1) Return vital services, (2)Investment, (3) inpatient beds, (4) permanent diagnostic equipment and (5) Proper Recruitment for a level playing field for Daisy Hill Acute Hospital Newry because it is true – the health service does belongs to all of us and we must be treated with respect, listened to and supported to work as real partners within the HSC system*
Refs: *(Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together, Quote p19, Health Minister Michelle O’Neill, MLA
ENDS
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To read more about Acute Hospitals and population need in NI:
Are people in Northern Ireland being treated fairly in the number and location of specialist acute hospitals? Read more below:
SaveDaisyHillhospital.com and Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook have been created in partnership for the positive promotion of Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city and to promote the need for expansion of specialist acute services, staff, number of beds, and imaging equipment at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city for now and the future.
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