DOH Hospital Network Consultation 2024-2025 – Some Suggested Responses
Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry is entitled to be an Area Hospital due to the consistently high population size, need and land mass area in Newry & District. In the Department of Health’s new public Consultation ‘Hospitals – Creating a Network for better outcomes’, Daisy Hill Acute Hospital has been put into the wrong Hospital category of ‘General Hospital’.
Public help is needed to answer through the Questionnaire to put the case forward to the Department of Health through the Public consultation process for Daisy Hill to be made an Area Hospital, like the other Area Hospitals, as it is entitled to be.
You can help by responding to this Department of Health Consultation ‘Hospitals – Creating a Network for better outcomes.’ (October 2024) (More information on the topic is explored in ‘Why This Consultation Matters’ section below.
SUGGESTED ANSWERS HELP 1 AVAILABLE HERE
Word versions of the Questionnaire with some pre-filled selected options to read or use for your own answers, (now with extra info on the Rural Needs and Equality Questions) are available to download by clicking on the Download buttons below : (File name: V3 Extra info-Questionnaire-doh -hospitals) has detailed LONGER answers.
A word version of the Questionnaire with SHORTER ANSWERS (File name ‘W shorter-questionnaire -doh-hospitals) with some pre-filled selected options to read or use for your own answers is available to download by clicking on the Download button below.
Notes for the Prefilled Questionnaire
>If you use this pre-filled version you will first need to save the file to your phone/computer/device etc), Select the Save As Option, and select where you want to save it in Downloads/Documents etc.
>Then give it a new filename by adding your initials at the front/end or some other change to the standard name.
Example 1. New file name: AB questionnaire doh-hospitals-better-outcomes.
Example 2. New file name: questionnaire doh-hospitals-better-outcomesRR1
>Edit the new version by starting with Q1 to add your name and Q2 to add your Email address by typing into the Space in the Answer Boxes on the Questionnaire. This is really important so the department will count it as a real response coming from you. (There is space to add extra comments on some of the other answer boxes if you wish. )
>When you are finished Save your file again and then your version of the Questionnaire is ready. This new filename is the version you can send as an email attachment, (or for printing, if you want to post it.)
Ways to respond are detailed below.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CONSULTATION LINKS
The link above is the main Consultation link from the Department of Health website for the ‘Creating a Network for better outcomes’ Consultation . It gives all documents including main report, Rural Impact and Equality Impact Assessments, Consultation Questionnaire Word document all available to download and read.
Public Consultations should be freely accessible to all – if you are unable to save or open any of the Department of Health Consultation documents in the formats provided – please contact the Department of Health using the information provided below, to let them know and see if they can offer alternative formats.
WAYS TO RESPOND TO THE CONSULTATION
There are 3 WAYS TO RESPOND to Department of Health Hospitals – Creating a Network for better outcomes Consultation proposals 2024-2025:
1>By Email > Send your completed Questionnaire by email to the Department by attaching the Consultation Questionnaire to the email address: rebuildinghsc.services@health-ni.gov.uk
2>By Online Questionnaire
Click on the Online Questionnaire link below and scroll down to and click ‘have your say’
https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/doh-1/hospitals-creating-a-network-for-better-outcomes/
SUGGESTED ANSWERS HELP 2 (ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE) AVAILABLE HERE
There are two versions of the Suggested Answers (ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE ) AVAILABLE
V6 (With Longer Detailed Answers)
V8 (With Shorter Answers)
You can use these two Suggested Answer Sheets (Ready Reference) Answers BELOW to help you if you need some ideas while you are filling out this online questionnaire. If you agree with the typed answer suggestions you can even copy and paste the answers in part or full. (Just download it to your device and open the file for reference)
LONGER (MORE DETAILED) SUGGESTED ANSWER SHEET FOR ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE AVAILABLE HERE:
SHORTER SUGGESTED ANSWER SHEET FOR ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD HERE:
3>By Post > A hard copy of your response Questionnaire can also be sent in Writing to:
Transformation Branch
Regional Health Services Transformation Directorate
Department of Health
Annex 3, Castle Buildings
Stormont Estate
Belfast
BT4 3SQ
By the Closing Date of 28th February 2025.
For Enquiries on the ‘Hospitals -Creating a Network for better outcomes’ consultation the Department of Health contact email is: rebuildinghsc.services@health-ni.gov.uk
Department of Health General Telephone number is : Telephone: 028 9052 0500
WHY THIS CONSULTATION MATTERS
In 2019, you did it – over 19, 500 people sent back consultation Reponses disagreeing with Dept of Health plans to cut the existing number of Stroke Units in NI and centralise stroke services to as few as sites as possible.
People power here worked after thousands filled in the Questionnaire with 95% rejecting the options, with concerns about longer travel times in an emergency. Following this consultation – the Health Minister Robin Swann MLA said stronger evidence was needed – so change can happen if we write in large numbers to these consultations.
In 2024/5 there is a new plan as the Department of Health now proposes to go way beyond centralising Stroke services and proposes changes to the whole Regional Hospital Network. This plan puts Hospitals in NI into four categories: Local, General, Area Hospitals and Specialist Regional Centres.
The majority of Specialist Inpatient Services for example Stroke, Emergency Surgery etc are proposed to be centralised to 5 newly chosen Area Hospitals (at Antrim, Altnagelvin, Craigavon, Ulster and Belfast Group Hospitals) and Specialist Regional Centres (at Altnagelvin, Ulster Hospital and Belfast Hospitals) (*Ref1)
In these proposals Daisy Hill Hospital (Newry); South West (Enniskillen) and Causeway (Coleraine) are to be known as ‘General Hospitals’. (Very different from the new proposed ‘Area Hospitals’)
The Government now wants to consult with you, the public who are paying for the service to see if they agree with these new proposals.
DAISY HILL HAS BEEN PUT IN THE WRONG CATEGORY OF ‘GENERAL’ HOSPITAL – BUT THIS CAN BE CHANGED IF ENOUGH PEOPLE DISAGEE WITH THE NEW PROPOSALS
As mentioned in previous posts, only 5 places have been selected to be upgraded to be higher level ‘Area Hospitals’ – they are: Craigavon, Antrim, Altnagelvin, Ulster and Belfast Group Hospitals. “These Area Hospitals will maintain a 24/7 emergency department, a 24/7 emergency surgery and anaesthetic rota and theatre, and be supported by a critical care unit.” (Consultation Doc p35/37pdf) Annex D also states Area Hospitals will be expected to have 31 specialty services with inpatient beds. (Page 106/8)
What about the General Hospitals?
Information on the limited services expected to be available from ‘General hospitals’ can be read in the Consultation document ‘Hospitals – Creating a Network for better outcomes’ from the Department of Health’s website. (See p23, 34-36, and 113)
In the document’s very important Actions page (p113, See Action 4) –it is rather concerning that the words ‘Short to Medium Term’*(Ref 2) are used when referring to maintaining core services in the ‘General Hospital’ category. And it is the Hospital Trusts who will be in charge of this.
Are core services not going to be maintained for the Long Term in the General Hospitals then? No other Hospital Category is dealt with in this way in the Actions Page.
Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry has been incorrectly put in the ‘General Hospital’ category in this new report which also falsely describes the Newry area as a small ‘isolated’ geographical location and community (*(Ref 3) See pages 6,23, 34).
The Department of Health report fails to recognise the consistently large population size, recorded illness statistics needs and large land mass area in the Newry & District area.
Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry must be given the long overdue investment and specialist inpatient services it and the rate-paying and tax paying population here deserves.
We must challenge these unfair proposals. In Health and Wellbeing 2026 Delivering Together (p19) First Minister and former Health Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA stated “Our HSC system belongs to all of us and we all bring valuable insights in to how it can improve. We must work in partnership – patients, services users, families’ staff and politicians – in doing so we co-produce lasting change which benefits us all.” *(Ref 4)
DAISY HILL HOSPITAL IS ENTITLED TO BE AN AREA HOSPITAL & NEEDS YOUR HELP – PLEASE DISAGREE WITH THE PROPOSALS
Your help is needed to answer the Consultation through the Questionnaire and let the Dept of Health know that they have put Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry into the wrong category –due to the population size, need and land mass here.
We have a right to continue to challenge, at every opportunity, these vital healthcare decisions. Pls take part in the Consultation and Strongly disagree with the proposals, stating in the Questionnaire that Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry is entitled to be and should be categorised as an ‘Area Hospital’ along with the other Area Hospitals.
Please ask everyone in your house to take part take part in this public Consultation too and pls ask your friends, family and community and Elected Representatives to do the same.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION/ REFERENCES
REFERENCES
*Ref. 1. Hospitals – Creating a Network for better outcomes. Department of Health, (October 2024). Main Consultation document, Hospital Categories (Pages – pdf pg no. p23-25)
*Ref. 2. Action 4 states that “Consideration to be given to how in the short to medium term HSC Trusts can work in collaboration to maintain these core General Hospital services.” Creating a Network for better outcomes. Department of Health, October 2024. Main Consultation document, (pdf pg no p113)
*Ref. 3 Description of General Hospitals ,In ‘Creating a Network for better outcomes’. (Department of Health, October 2024,) the word ‘isolated’ is used 3 times describing the ‘location’ and ‘community’ of the 3 named proposed ‘General hospitals’: Causeway Hospital, Daisy Hill Hospital and South West Hospital(p6,p23, p34).
P6/23 : “General Hospitals, delivering defined secondary care services including unscheduled care, geared to a specific, more ISOLATED geographical location…”
P34/ “What and Where: General Hospitals” – …… These hospitals have a key role in ensuring our system can respond to the challenges of an aging population, delivering a range of acute and rehabilitation services, with the advantage that they are closer to an otherwise more ISOLATED community.”]
*Ref. 4. Health and Wellbeing 2026 – Delivering Together – Department of Health, (October 2016.) (p19)
*Definition –‘Centralise’ “concentrate under one control” (Collins English Dictionary)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
WHY DAISY HILL HOSPITAL IN NEWRY IS ENTITLED TO BE AN AREA HOSPITAL:
>Reason 1 – Population fact 1: Out of 17 GP Federations in NI, Newry & District GP Federation has the 2nd highest number of patients (161,308) registered after only Derry GP Federation since 2017 (Source: DOH 2023/24).
Newry & District includes 36,018 children and young people aged U18, the 2nd highest of the 17 GP Federations after only Derry (Source: DOH 2023/24).
Reason 2 – Population fact 2: Newry & Mourne Local Government District (One of 26 Former Councils) RANKED IN THE TOP FOUR HIGHEST POPULATION CENTRES In NI after only Belfast, Derry and Lisburn. (From 1971 to 2014)
Reason 3> Population fact 3: Newry & Mourne LGD has ALWAYS HAD THE HIGHEST POPULATION of the 5 LGDS in the operational area of Southern Trust. (Source NISRA). The 5 LGDS are Newry & Mourne, Craigavon, Armagh, Dungannon and Banbridge.
Reason 4 – Landmass fact : Newry & Mourne local government district area alone has the 3RD LARGEST LANDMASS in NI (898.3 Sq Km: Source NISRA).
Further reading: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2025/01/28/gp-registers-show-vital-need-for-daisy-hill-newry-as-an-area-hospital-with-24-7-level-1-ed/
Further reading: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2025/02/23/new-updated-shorter-ready-reference-suggested-answers-online-consultation/
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