The Department of Health will soon announce the outcome of the Hospital Network Public Consultation to reveal if Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry has been renamed as an Area Hospital.
Four evidence based reasons for Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry to be renamed as an Area Hospital are:
(1) Historical Basis
(2) Population size
(3) Large land area and
(4) Strategic location.
REASON 1: HISTORICAL BASIS -THE FACTS: DAISY HILL – A NHS HOSPITAL IN 1949 AND 1 OF 9 EQUAL ACUTE HOSPITALS DESIGNATED IN 2003
Daisy Hill in Newry was made an NHS Hospital in 1949, and was designated by Government as one of a REGIONAL Network of nine EQUAL status major Acute Hospitals in NI in 2003. These decisions were made then, because of the large Population and large land area size, after a DOH Regional Consultation, ‘Developing Better Services’.
In 2003 it was a Ministerial Decision by Minister Des Browne to designate Daisy Hill in Newry as one of the 9 Acute Hospitals of Equal standing. All of these nine hospitals are vital to ensure timely access to CONULTANT LED 24/7 Emergency Surgical and Emergency Medical AND MATERNITY Services WITHIN ONE HOUR, to the entire population of NI no matter where they choose to live. * (Ref 1)
REASON 2: POPULATION SIZE –FACT : NEWRY & MOURNE – THIRD HIGHEST POPULATION in NI
Using official NISRA 2026 Estimated population figures, NEWRY & MOURNE (FORMER LGD) IS RANKED THIRD HIGHEST POPULATION OF THE 26 FORMER COUNCILS IN NI.
Ranking out of 26 councils /Name of Council/ 2026 est. Population size
1st out of 26: Belfast LGD -290,808 people
2nd out of 26: Lisburn LGD – 136,843 people
3rd out of 26: Newry & Mourne LGD – 111,508 people
4th out of 26: Derry LGD – 110,577 people
This 3rd place ranking for Newry & Mourne shows its very high population across the NI Region of 26 councils.
NEWRY & MOURNE IN THE TOP FOUR in NI FOR OVER 5O YEARS
NISRA Statistics also show that SINCE 1971 NEWRY & MOURNE LGD HAS RANKED IN THE TOP 4 HIGHEST POPULATIONS IN NI FOR OVER 50 YEARS WITH BELFAST, LISBURN (GREATER BELFAST) AND DERRY. So Newry & Mourne is growing still further and is entitled to have an Area Hospital.
Important Note: NI Health Care Trusts are still officially organised under the 26 council model.**(Ref 2)
REASON 3: LAND MASS AREA – FACT: NEWRY & MOURNE – THIRD LARGEST IN NI
NEWRY & MOURNE (Former LGD) IS RANKED THIRD LARGEST OF THE LAND MASS areas of the 26 former councils in NI.
Using official NISRA Land Measurements, Fermanagh has the largest land measurement with 1699.3sq km. Omagh is second (1129.9sq km) and Newry & Mourne is third largest land measurement with 898.3 sq km ***(Ref3)
Newry city is the main Gateway to NI, strategically located on the Belfast-Dublin Trans European Network, Road, Rail, and Sea economic corridor where hundreds of thousands travel through yearly. Newry is also the Gateway to the three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty which comprise the designated Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark which also attract many thousands of visitors travelling through the Newry area annually. Newry has excellent road and rail links, and is connected to the major Port of Warrenpoint. Daisy Hill ACUTE Hospital is located at this major population settlement in Newry.
CONCLUSION – SOLUTIONS TO HOSPITAL NETWORK REFORM
Acute Hospital status, Population, Land mass and location are the 4 main factors to determine the entitlement for an Area Hospital for Daisy Hill, Hospital, Newry in the proposed regional network.
Daisy Hill Hospital is entitled to have a full range of specialist acute services and inpatient beds, along with 24/7 consultant led Accident & Emergency, with emergency surgery and consultant led maternity services just the same as the other named Area Hospitals, in the proposed new Network of Hospitals.****(Ref 4)
To ensure equality of timely access to Consultant Led 24/7 365 Regional inpatient acute Services like Accident and Emergency surgical and Medical services like Heart and Stroke, and consultant led maternity services all Area Hospitals should be selected based on where the people (population) actually live.
The choice of location of Area Hospitals should not be made on the size of the hospital but should take into account the size of the population at each of the former Local Government Districts. The figures should be standardised population sizes and the land mass area to be covered by the fire and rescue service and ambulance service at each former local government district level, not just at a Regional level.
Doing this will show that Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry city is entitled to be an Area Hospital. The facts speak for themselves.
REFERENCES / BACKGROUND
*Ref 1 Developing Better Services (The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety) Minister of State Desmond Browne, 2003.
** Ref 2 THE ORGANISATION OF NI HEALTH CARE IS STILL UNDER THE 26 COUNCIL MODEL
Operational areas in Health trusts still remain under the 26 council model. The former 26 Councils or Local Government Districts (LGDS) or localities are still named in legislation and remain as the Operational area of NI Health Trusts (Establishment Order 2006) and Commissioning Groups.
***Ref 3 Statistics on Population and Land Mass are from Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
****Ref 4 Department of Health Consultation ‘Hospitals – Creating a Network for Better Outcomes’
Information on this and other similar topics is also available at the companion Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ Please Follow or Like the Page to receive updates. Thank you.
Last week the campaign run by the people of Fermanagh & South Tyrone to retain Emergency Surgery at the South West Acute Hospital (Enniskillen) has been headline news. The Health Minister Mr Mike Nesbitt MLA must be commended for listening to the people and ensuring correct procedure is followed by halting the current consultation.
The people of Newry, Mourne and Down also need access to TIMELY Emergency Surgery at Daisy Hill in Newry, and fairness and correct procedure must be adhered to here also, as the people of Newry, Mourne and Down deserve the same dignity as the rest of the people living in NI.
Daisy Hill in Newry City is (or was) the ONLY designated Acute Hospital providing access to CONSULTANT LED TIMELY life saving Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medical Care for the population of the 2 constituencies of Newry/Armagh and South Down. Population 235,877 with 60,327 under 18’s (NISRA 2020).
Because of the large Population it serves and the large land mass size, Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry was designated as one of a Network of only nine Acute Hospitals in NI, after a DoH Regional Consultation. All of these nine hospitals EDs are vital to ensure timely access to 24/7 Emergency Surgical and Emergency Medical Services WITHIN ONE HOUR, to the entire population of NI no matter where they choose to live.
However, the previous Southern Trust management unfairly broke up the Regional Network of time reliant Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medical Services by proposing in April 2023 to provide Emergency Surgery only in Craigavon Hospital. This meant then the removal of timely life saving Emergency Surgery, and its specialist clinical staff from Newry City’s Specialist Acute Hospital, Daisy Hill.
The people and Newry, Mourne and Down Council were against this proposal – but the Southern Trust still went ahead. The Permanent Secretary of DoH agreed to PERMANENTLY withdraw Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill, and announced this on 8 January 2024, without a Regional Public Consultation and when the Executive /Assembly was not in place.
>The Dept. of Health recorded this in its Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24: ‘The permanent closure of the Emergency General Surgery service at the Daisy Hill Hospital site following a comprehensive consultation process in January 2024. A new service for all Southern patients is now fully operational in Craigavon Area Hospital with new inter-Trust and NIAS pathways to manage the demand from the Newry/Mourne population.”
Despite what is written in the Annual Report, there was NOT ‘comprehensive consultation’. Emergency surgery like heart and stroke is a Regional service and there must be a Regional consultation. There was no Regional Consultation.
The Southern Trust questionnaire asked : ‘Do you agree with the proposal to provide Emergency General Surgery Services on the Craigavon Area Hospital site 24 hours per day 7 days per week?It did not state they would withdraw Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill in the questionnaire.
This was a local Trust ‘consultation’ and not appropriate for life saving Regional Services like Emergency Surgery. In this local Trust ‘consultation’ – 94% of people said NO. The Trust received 11,377 responses including a questionnaire completed by the ‘Save Our Emergency Surgery at Daisy Hill Hospital’ group, endorsed by 11,053 people, NOT IN AGREEMENT with the Southern Trust proposal.
>REGIONAL SERVICES MUST BE PLANNED, MANAGED AND DELIVERED ON A REGIONAL BASIS.
The point must be made again -Emergency surgery like heart and stroke is a Regional service and there must be a REGIONAL consultation.
The Dept. of Health’s own Annual Report, writes that under the principles of Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together :
“This will empower local providers and communities to plan integrated continuous care based on the needs of their population, with specialised and regional services planned, managed and delivered ON A REGIONAL BASIS.” (DoH Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23 pg7)
This matter is not closed for the people of Newry, Mourne and Down, just like the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone asking for fair play, equality and campaigning to retain Emergency Surgery in South West Hospital, the people also need access to Emergency Surgery at Daisy Hill in Newry because it saves lives and we deserve the same dignity as the rest of the people living here.
The people of Newry Mourne and Down ask for fairness from the current Health Minster and Department of Health. A proper REGIONAL Consultation is needed. This will ensure correct procedure is followed and will properly address the issue of access to Emergency Surgery across the whole network of 9 acute hospitals including Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry , Mourne and Down and South West acute in Fermanagh and South Tyrone.
TIMELY Emergency Surgery saves lives! REFERENCES
> Dept. of Health Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24 for year end 31 March 2024 (p 10 pdf) > Dept. of Health Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23 (p 7 pdf) >Provision of Emergency General Surgery In The Southern Health And Social Care Trust – Public Consultation Feedback Report September 2023.
Important Further Reading on Emergency Surgery follows (Written 9th March 2024)
DECLINE BY DESIGN: General Surgery Inpatient Beds Systematically Cut from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry from 2007 to 2023
Department of Health NI information shows that the number of Beds (for both Emergency and Planned General Surgery) in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry were SYSTEMATICALLY CUT from 2007-2023.
The reduction of these beds resulted in a huge decline in the number of Emergency General Surgery Inpatients who were treated in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry.
This is vitally important because the Department of Health are using the reason “Lower patient numbers” (or volumes) as a key reason why Health Trusts are unable to recruit or retain consultants and as justification for permanent removal of services from Acute Hospitals and in this case – Emergency General Surgery from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry.
As shown in the Department of Health statement published 08 Jan 2024, from Permanent Secretary Mr Peter May: “When hospitals have lower patient numbers, this can create significant issues for professionals working in key specialties. These include rota/on-call pressures inherent in smaller clinical teams, as well as insufficient case mix to support specialisation, training and skill development. These issues inevitably have consequences for recruitment and retention.” (Ref 1)
The Permanent Secretary Mr Peter May’s statement shows that he agreed with the Local Southern Trust’s decision to permanently withdraw all Emergency General Surgery from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry to Craigavon, and believed what he was told that Daisy Hill had low patient numbers needing Emergency General Surgery.
But, as the final row in the picture table shows, while Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry had only 3 inpatients recorded for the whole year 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023, this low number of inpatients was while the number of available beds in the Hospital had been REDUCED to only 8.6 beds to admit anyone needing either Emergency or planned General Surgery.
The numbers of inpatients for emergency surgery dropped because the number of emergency and planned surgery beds had been deliberately reduced.
NUMBER OF BEDS TRACKED FROM 2007-2023
Southern Trust took over Management of Daisy Hill Acute Hospital on 1st April 2007.
For the year 1st April 2006 – 31st March 2007, Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry had 49.5 Inpatient beds (for Emergency and planned General Surgery) and 3,432 Emergency General Surgery inpatients
(For the same year Craigavon Hospital had 97 inpatient beds (for Emergency and planned General Surgery) and 3,540 Emergency General Surgery inpatients).
Fast forward to the year (1st April 2022 – 31st March 2023): Daisy Hill Acute Hospital , Newry had plummeted to 8.6 Inpatient beds (for Emergency and planned General Surgery) with only 3 Emergency General Surgery inpatients recorded for the whole year.
The table diagram showing official DOH statistics proves that there was a Decline by Design – and General Surgery Inpatient Beds (for Emergency and planned Surgery) were systematically Cut from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry from 2007 to 2023.
CONCLUSION
The Southern Trust were given the function, under the 2006 Establishment Order to provide accommodation and services in Hospitals in Newry, Craigavon, Armagh, and Dungannon to ensure equal access to hospital services to everyone no matter where they lived in the former Local Government Districts of Newry & Mourne, Craigavon, Armagh, Dungannon, and Banbridge.
But although the Southern Trust Establishment Order clearly states the Southern Trust have a duty to “PROVIDE ” not “DEPRIVE” access to Accommodation and Services in Daisy Hill, Newry, they have not done so, as the falling number of available inpatient Beds in Daisy Hill, Newry for General Surgery over time can be seen in the accompanying table picture.
All Emergency Services, including Fire and Ambulance are Regional Services and as such cannot be changed or withdrawn without going through Regional Public Consultation, where decisions can be challenged by the public who are paying for the service – (not just at local level by the Southern Trust).
The final decision will then rest with the Health Minister after a REGIONAL CONSULTATION which must include Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry.
BACKGROUND
Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, along with 8 other hospitals in NI was designated as an Acute Hospital with 24/7 Consultant Led Emergency Surgery, Emergency Medical, and Maternity Services since 2003.
>In 2006/07 DHH had 49.5 inpatient beds for General Surgery ( Emergency & planned ) with 3,432 Emergency General Surgery Inpatients. >In the year 2009/10*: DHH had 48.8 inpatient beds for General Surgery (Emergency & planned) with 3,036 Emergency General Surgery Inpatients.(see picture: 2009/10)
>By the year 20018/19*: DHH had dropped to 27.5 General Surgery inpatient beds (for Emergency & planned Surgery ) with 2,204 Emergency General Surgery Inpatients.
> But by the year 2022/23* (when the General Surgery Speciality had been ‘temporarily removed’ ) Daisy Hill Acute Hospital General Surgery Inpatient bed numbers (for Emergency & planned surgery) plummeted to only 8.6 inpatient beds with only 3 Emergency General Surgery inpatients recorded. (see picture)
Information on this and other similar topics is also available at the companion Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ Please Follow or Like the Page to receive updates. Thank you.
Write For Your Equality Rights (DoH Draft Equality/Disability Public Consultation 2025)
This time two years ago, on 25th June 2023 people came out in their thousands to show their support for Daisy Hill Hospital at the SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee Public Rally in Newry. People here care and will show up for Daisy Hill, the designated Acute Hospital in Newry city.
Now its June 2025, so have there been announcements of more investment for specialist acute services for Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, for its large and growing population? After all, Official population figures right back to 1971 show that Newry & Mourne (former) local government district (LGD) has always ranked in the TOP 4 populations in NI.
No, instead of return of specialist services (like Emergency Surgery and acute stroke) and more capital investment for Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, (Apart from proposing some essential Electrical Maintenance), the following is recorded in the DOH 2023-4 Annual Report :
‘Progress and key achievements in 2023/24: The initial phases of REMODELLING THE ACUTE MODEL at Daisy Hill Hospital by REDUCING BED CAPACITY and INCREASING COMMUNITY based medical management. Further development is ongoing in 2024-25 and it is expected that OTHER LOCAL HOSPITALS CAN LEARN from this model in the future.’ (Department of Health Annual Report 2023-4, Page 10)
COMPARING THE TWO SOUTHERN TRUST ACUTE HOSPITALS – DAISY HILL, NEWRY AND CRAIGAVON (From 2023- on)
While the longest established Hospital in the Southern Trust, Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry gets ‘remodelled’ /’reconfigured’, ‘re-designated’ by re-moving /withdrawing and centralising its specialist services to Craigavon and vital equipment for the LONG TERM future is stalled again e.g. CT/ MRI Scanners. There is a different story in the other Acute Hospital in the Southern Trust, (newly built in 1971). Craigavon Hospital is treated much more favourably in the Department of Health Budget 2023-24 with the opposite proposal of EXTRA BEDS:
‘There are a number of critical capital schemes that the Department would like to commence in 2023/24 which include…THE PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL BED CAPACITY at CRAIGAVON Area Hospital’ (Department of Health Budget 2023-24 Equality Impact Assessment, page 10.)
CRAIGAVON CAPITAL PROPOSAL FOR £2.4 BILLION: REVENUE £38.5 MILLION. FUNDING STREAM IS NAMED AS DOH.
Craigavon Hospital continues to get major investment, beds, equipment and staff and still wants MORE
E.g. Southern Trust Board Report Jan 2025 lists the ‘new Capital Proposal for Craigavon Area Hospital Site Wide Redevelopment Programme with a Capital/Revenue Value £2.4 BILLION/ Revenue £38.5million.’ The Funding Stream is named as DOH. (Department of Health)
NEWRY & MOURNE HAS A HIGHER POPULATION THAN CRAIGAVON
Official population figures right back to 1971 show that Newry & Mourne local government district (LGD) has always ranked in the top 4 populations in NI and since 2007 has always had the HIGHEST population of the 5 LGD areas in the Southern Trust area. (See References for Figures)
So, given the consistently large recorded population size – where is the access to timely Regional Emergency Services and Specialist inpatient services at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry, for the people of Newry, Mourne & Down?
Lack of inpatient hospital access (to the only hospital in this area – Daisy Hill) is a major health inequality affecting the adults and children who live in Newry & Mourne. And how can people bring this inequality to light in 2025?
The Department of Health has developed New Draft Equality and Draft Disability Action Plans for 2025 to 2030. They write: “This consultation gives you an opportunity to tell us what you think should be included in our Equality Action Plan and Disability Action Plans for the next 5 years.”This Regional Consultation is our chance to put in writing the need for Equality in Newry Mourne and Down.
>WHY ANSWER THIS NEW CONSULTATION?
The DOH has given an opportunity to write to them directly about inequalities so this is a real chance to write about major health inequalities in the Southern Trust. This inequality affects all Section 75 groups in the population regarding lack of access to acute hospital inpatient treatment at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry, because vital TIMELY life saving Regional Accident and Emergency Medical inpatient services (like Stroke, timely Emergency Surgical inpatient Services, and vital timely Critical Care Services High Dependency beds) were withdrawn from Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry without the Department going to the necessary Public Regional Consultations.
Emergency Surgery was removed permanently in Jan 2024 when there was no NI Executive in place. It was also announced Daisy Hill Hospital change of use to a Regional Elective care centre, and removal of beds without Public Regional Consultation. These are huge inequalities as it was the only acute Hospital in NI treated this way and will have a negative effect on health outcomes of the very large numbers of children and adults living here.
Newry & Mourne is a major settlement, the 4th highest population in NI and has always had the highest (former) local government district population in the Southern Trust operational area, but it is being wrongly categorised as an ‘isolated community’ in the DoH Hospital Network Consultation. Newry & Mourne is not an isolated community; the populations’ needs are not being assessed correctly.
To help people write in to the Department about inequality in this Public Consultation – Some suggested Answers will be available on this page.
The Southern Trust Operational Area is still the former five Local Government Districts of Newry & Mourne, Armagh, Craigavon, Dungannon and Banbridge. Projected population for 2026 in Southern Trust/ SLCG: Newry & Mourne (111,508); Craigavon (109,655); Armagh (66,848); Dungannon (67,870) and Banbridge (53,202) NISRA June 2025.
Department of Health Budget (DoH) 2023-24 Equality Impact Assessment, Page 10
Department of Health Annual Report 2023-4, Page 10)
*Definition –‘Centralise’ “concentrate under one control” (Collins English Dictionary)
The link above is the main Consultation link from the Department of Health website . 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 Draft Equality & Disability Action Plans Consultation 2025 – 2030
1>By Email > Send your completed Questionnaire by email to the Department by attaching the Consultation Questionnaire to the email address: equality&humanrights@health-ni.gov.uk
2>By Online Questionnaire
Click on the Online Questionnaire link below and scroll down to and click ‘have your say’
3>By Post > A hard copy of your response Questionnaire can also be sent in Writing to:
Write to: Equality and Human Rights Unit, Castle Buildings, Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT4 3SQ
By the Closing Date of Saturday 28th June 2025 by 5pm.
For Enquiries on the Department of Health Draft Equality & Disability Action Plans Consultation 2025 – 2030 the contact email is: equality&humanrights@health-ni.gov.uk
Department of Health General Telephone number is : Telephone: 028 9052 0500
Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry City
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).
Information on this and other similar topics is also available at the companion Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ Please Follow or Like the Page to receive updates. Thank you.
Department of Health NI information shows that the number of Beds (for both Emergency and Planned General Surgery) in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry were SYSTEMATICALLY CUT from 2007-2023.
The reduction of these beds resulted in a huge decline in the number of Emergency General Surgery Inpatients who were treated in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry.
This is vitally important because the Department of Health are using the reason “Lower patient numbers” (or volumes) as a key reason why Health Trusts are unable to recruit or retain consultants and as justification for permanent removal of services from Acute Hospitals and in this case – Emergency General Surgery from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry.
As shown in the Department of Health statement published 08 Jan 2024, from Permanent Secretary Mr Peter May: “When hospitals have lower patient numbers, this can create significant issues for professionals working in key specialties. These include rota/on-call pressures inherent in smaller clinical teams, as well as insufficient case mix to support specialisation, training and skill development. These issues inevitably have consequences for recruitment and retention.” (Ref 1)
The Permanent Secretary Mr Peter May’s statement shows that he agreed with the Local Southern Trust’s decision to permanently withdraw all Emergency General Surgery from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry to Craigavon, and believed what he was told that Daisy Hill had low patient numbers needing Emergency General Surgery.
But, as the final row in the picture table shows, while Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry had only 3 inpatients recorded for the whole year 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023, this low number of inpatients was while the number of available beds in the Hospital had been REDUCED to only 8.6 beds to admit anyone needing either Emergency or planned General Surgery.
The numbers of inpatients for emergency surgery dropped because the number of emergency and planned surgery beds had been deliberately reduced.
NUMBER OF BEDS TRACKED FROM 2007-2023
Southern Trust took over Management of Daisy Hill Acute Hospital on 1st April 2007.
For the year 1st April 2006 – 31st March 2007, Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry had 49.5 Inpatient beds (for Emergency and planned General Surgery) and 3,432 Emergency General Surgery inpatients
(For the same year Craigavon Hospital had 97 inpatient beds (for Emergency and planned General Surgery) and 3,540 Emergency General Surgery inpatients).
Fast forward to the year (1st April 2022 – 31st March 2023): Daisy Hill Acute Hospital , Newry had plummeted to 8.6 Inpatient beds (for Emergency and planned General Surgery) with only 3 Emergency General Surgery inpatients recorded for the whole year.
The table diagram showing official DOH statistics proves that there was a Decline by Design – and General Surgery Inpatient Beds (for Emergency and planned Surgery) were systematically Cut from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry from 2007 to 2023.
CONCLUSION
The Southern Trust were given the function, under the 2006 Establishment Order to provide accommodation and services in Hospitals in Newry, Craigavon, Armagh, and Dungannon to ensure equal access to hospital services to everyone no matter where they lived in the former Local Government Districts of Newry & Mourne, Craigavon, Armagh, Dungannon, and Banbridge.
But although the Southern Trust Establishment Order clearly states the Southern Trust have a duty to “PROVIDE ” not “DEPRIVE” access to Accommodation and Services in Daisy Hill, Newry, they have not done so, as the falling number of available inpatient Beds in Daisy Hill, Newry for General Surgery over time can be seen in the accompanying table picture.
All Emergency Services, including Fire and Ambulance are Regional Services and as such cannot be changed or withdrawn without going through Regional Public Consultation, where decisions can be challenged by the public who are paying for the service – (not just at local level by the Southern Trust).
The final decision will then rest with the Health Minister after a REGIONAL CONSULTATION which must include Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry.
BACKGROUND
Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, along with 8 other hospitals in NI was designated as an Acute Hospital with 24/7 Consultant Led Emergency Surgery, Emergency Medical, and Maternity Services since 2003.
>In 2006/07 DHH had 49.5 inpatient beds for General Surgery ( Emergency & planned ) with 3,432 Emergency General Surgery Inpatients. >In the year 2009/10*: DHH had 48.8 inpatient beds for General Surgery (Emergency & planned) with 3,036 Emergency General Surgery Inpatients.(see picture: 2009/10)
>By the year 20018/19*: DHH had dropped to 27.5 General Surgery inpatient beds (for Emergency & planned Surgery ) with 2,204 Emergency General Surgery Inpatients.
> But by the year 2022/23* (when the General Surgery Speciality had been ‘temporarily removed’ ) Daisy Hill Acute Hospital General Surgery Inpatient bed numbers (for Emergency & planned surgery) plummeted to only 8.6 inpatient beds with only 3 Emergency General Surgery inpatients recorded. (see picture)
Information on this and other similar topics is also available at the companion Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ Please Follow or Like the Page to receive updates. Thank you.
Over c.453,455 people (nearly a quarter of the NI population) have been denied access to a Regional service at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry and at South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen, because two Health Trusts decided to withdraw life-saving Emergency Surgery at these acute hospitals, even though the decisions to remove these Regional Emergency Services never went to REGIONAL Public Consultation.* (See Background)
The accompanying map graphic shows the stark reality of the areas and numbers affected. The grey coloured area on the map shows where the 453,455 (adults and children alike), have now been left without access to Emergency Surgery in these two designated acute hospitals Newry and Enniskillen. This number does not even include the thousands of tourists who visit this area.
The local populations objected to the removal of Emergency Surgery from the two Acute Hospitals since 2022 through the only mechanisms open to them through their local councils and by objecting in their thousands through the Trust ONLY LOCAL LEVEL consultations.
In Newry, the ‘Save Our Emergency Surgery Action Group’ organised a huge rally in opposition to centralisation of Emergency Surgery to Craigavon Hospital and collected and submitted 12,000 responses to the Southern Trust LOCAL Emergency Surgery Consultation. Mr Francis Gallagher the group’s Chair stated in a Newry Reporter article : “Tell the DOH and the trust that we demand equality and respect by having equal timely access to life-saving healthcare” (Newry Reporter April 2023).
Save our Acute Services who also co-ordinated a community campaign in Fermanagh area stated they secured over 30,286 individual responses to Western Trust consultation on ‘temporary’ removal of Emergency Surgery from the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen.
The Community campaigns also had strong local government support, with both Newry Mourne and Down Council and the Fermanagh and Omagh Councils strongly opposing the withdrawal of Emergency Surgery from their Acute Hospitals and communicating with the Department of Health on this issue.
FOR BETTER OUTCOMES AND EQUALITY, ALL HEALTH TRUSTS MUST ADHERE TO THE RURAL NEEDS ACT AND RETURN EMERGENCY SURGERY TO THESE ACUTE HOSPITALS.
Health Trusts should have remembered before they took it on themselves to withdraw life saving Regional services like Emergency Surgery from the predominantly Rural (NUTS Classification) ‘West and South of NI’, that they have a “duty of care” to continue to provide, not deprive this population of life saving Emergency Surgery.
The Southern and Western Health Trusts also have to adhere to the NI Rural Needs Act 2016 and consider the extent of harm their decision did to this predominantly Rural Population when they withdrew timely life saving Emergency Surgery. Because of this they should reverse their decision and return Emergency Surgery without delay to achieve better outcomes for the Rural population under their care.
The Rural population in NI are entitled to the same value for public money for Life-saving Emergency services as the urban population, as the quote from the Rural Needs Act below shows.
RURAL NEEDS ACT 2016: “In seeking to identify Rural Needs public authorities should consider to what extent the policy, strategy, plan or public services will meet the social and economic needs of people in rural areas and whether the outcomes delivered for people in rural areas will be similar to the outcomes delivered for people in urban areas.”
It is a serious situation that over 453,455 people (nearly a quarter of the NI population) has been denied access to a Regional service at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry and at South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen.
The removal of a life saving Regional Service like Emergency Surgery is one that can only be dealt with through a REGIONAL Public Consultation. The fact that Emergency Surgery was removed from two designated acute hospitals, without a REGIONAL Public Consultation or due process makes this a Rural Needs and an Equality issue.
The best way to continue to bring this to the attention of the Dept of Health and Health Minister is though our politicians – MLAs, Councillors and MPs and directly through the next available Equality and Disability Public Consultation.
The latest Consultation is open and is asking for public feedback, so this a good opportunity to keep up standing our ground for our acute Hospitals, designated by Government in 2003 and paid for with our public funds, taxes and national insurance contributions.
Details on the ‘Public Consultation on the Department of Health’s Draft Equality Action and Draft Disability Action Plan 2025-2030’ will follow shortly.
BACKGROUND
Graphic Source: Population projections for the 5 former NUTS UK Eurostat Administrative Areas (year 2025): Source NISRA. NUTS III Areas still relevant because these areas cover the 26 councils which still remain the operational areas of the 5 Health Trusts.
*Emergency Surgery Withdrawn from two Acute Hospitals in NI without regional consultation
NEWRY
*Emergency Surgery withdrawn from Daisy Hill acute Hospital in Newry – permanent service change (8 January 2024)
‘DoH approves permanent service change – The Department of Health has approved the Southern Health and Social Care Trust decision to permanently consolidate emergency general surgery services at Craigavon Area Hospital.’ Date published: 8 January 2024
ENNISKILLEN
Western Trust Corporate Risk Update at 30 May 2024
23/05/2024 ‘Temporary suspension (Emergency General Surgery) remains in place with Trust now in the preparatory stages to move to consultation on a permanent change delivery model.’
Next Consultation:
Public Consultation on the Department of Health’s Draft Equality Action and Draft Disability Action Plan 2025-2030
Background ends
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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.
>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.)
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’
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:
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)
Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry City
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).
Information on this and other similar topics is also available at the companion Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ Please Follow or Like the Page to receive updates. Thank you.
YOU DID IT BEFORE – YOU CAN DO IT AGAIN –PEOPLE POWER NEEDED FOR DAISY HILL HOSPITAL , NEWRY.
In 2019, you did it – over 19, 500 people sent back Consultation Reponses disagreeing with Department 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.
In the Department of Health Consultation document ‘Hospitals – Creating a Network for better outcomes’, 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 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 DISAGREE WITH THE NEW CONSULTATION PROPOSALS
As mentioned before, 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 pages 23, 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.
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 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 CONSULTATION PROPOSALS
We have a right to continue to challenge, at every opportunity, these vital healthcare decisions. Please 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 please ask your friends, family and community and Elected Representatives- councillors, MLAs and MPs to do the same.
IMPORTANT – See this Link below to Daisy Hill Hospital for life website for alllinks to Department of Health Consultation, Questionnaire and Suggested Answers (to read and/or use if you agree) with instructions and Source References.
5 EVIDENCE BASED REASONS 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 Second 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).
>Reason 5: NEWRY CITY’S STRATEGIC LOCATION. Newry City could not be in a more pivotal position. NEWRY CITY is a Gateway and Main Hub in the Spatial Framework for NI to 2035. Newry is midway on the route from Belfast to Dublin on the TENS Key Transport Corridor.
It is also on the North Sea- Mediterranean Corridor: Cork> Dublin > NEWRY > BELFAST > Larne. The Eastern Seaboard Corridor is the Strategic Route linking Larne to the Border at Newry via Belfast facilitating onward travel to Dublin and the Port of Rosslare. Newry is a Gateway City to the Ring of Gullion and the Mournes (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and Gateway to the new Ring of Gullion Mourne and Sperrins UNESCO Heritage site.
Newry is so busy they are prepared to spend over £94 million on the Southern Traffic Relief Road but not on a Major hospital for potential road accidents, residents and visitors. Warrenpoint, close to Newry is the 2nd largest Port in NI.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION/ 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 (Pages 6, 23, 34).
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)
Information on this and other similar topics is also available at the companion Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ Please Follow or Like the Page to receive updates. Thank you.
Important: For detailed info on this topic and why it is important to take part- please read the full article.
QUICK LINKS – SHORT EXTRACT
*SUGGESTED ANSWERS HELP 1 – FULL QUESTIONNAIRE (Prefilled)
NEW SHORTER ANSWERS – PREFILLED QUESTIONNAIRE IN WORD IS AVAILABLE BELOW:
A NEW word version of the Questionnaire (W shorter -with Shorter Answers – 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.
LONGER ANSWERS PREFILLED QUESTIONNAIRE IN WORD IS AVAILABLE BELOW:
A word version of the Questionnaire (version V3-Longer Answers) 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.
You can use this V8 Shorter Suggested Answers – Ready Reference Sheet (word document) BELOW to help you if want to copy and paste onto or if you need some ideas while you are filling out the online questionnaire. (Link to the online Questionnaire in main article)
You can use this V6 Extra Online Qs Suggested Answers Sheet (word document) BELOW to help you if you need some ideas while you are filling out the online questionnaire. (Link to the online Questionnaire in main article)
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)
OR
You can use this V6 Extra Online Qs Suggested Answers Sheet (lONGER ANSWERS) (word document) BELOW to help you if you need some ideas while you are filling out the online questionnaire. (Link to the online Questionnaire in main article)
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)
Please note these files are in Word document format, if you are unable to open these files on your mobile or laptop successfully, it may be because your device doesn’t have Word installed.
Updated Feb 2025
If you are unable to download the Word files and want to fill in the Online Questionnaire page- you can go to these pages below instead :
DOH Hospital Network Consultation 2024-2025 – A Suggested Response
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
An updated word version 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) is available to download by clicking on the Download button below :
OR A NEW word version of the Questionnaire (W shorter -with Shorter Answers – 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.
>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.)
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’
SUGGESTED ANSWERS HELP 2 (ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE) AVAILABLE HERE
You can use this NEW V6 Extra Online Qs Suggested Answers Sheet or V8 Shorter ready Ref 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)
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)
Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry City
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).
Information on this and other similar topics is also available at the companion Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ Please Follow or Like the Page to receive updates. Thank you.
The independent think tank Nuffield Trust were commissioned by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust to report on ‘how care might be improved at the Daisy Hill (DH) site.’ and review services. This Nuffield Trust Report* dated 31 March 2023 sent to Dr Maria O’Kane, Chief Executive of the Southern Trust provides key findings and suggestions for building a sustainable model of care at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry. One of the main recommendations in the Nuffield Trust Report was that there should be:
‘Bolstering of the DH site through provision of some hyper-specialist services (e.g., stroke), as well as regular outpatient clinics in each specialty on site.’ (Page 4)
As well as this recommendation emphasising the need for Specialist services like Hyper Acute Stroke in Daisy Hill Hospital, the Nuffield Trust Report emphasises the importance of Critical Care Services in Daisy Hill (e.g. the High Dependency Unit) and for Outpatient Clinics in each specialty on the DHH site.
The Nuffield Trust also discusses staffing considerations across the Southern Trust’s TWO acute Hospitals, at Daisy Hill, Newry and at Craigavon. (*A link to the full report is available in References/Links below.)
CONCLUSION
BOLSTERING OF HYPER-SPECIALIST SERVICES IN DAISY HILL, NEWRY IS NEEDED TO SAVE LIVES
In their Report of March 2023 following their review, the Nuffield Trust came to the conclusion that there was need for more Hyperacute services in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry stating Daisy Hill Hospital should be bolstered with Hyper-Specialist services e.g. stroke. (See p4)
Looking at the illness prevalence on the list of patients in the 17 GP Federations across NI it can be seen why bolstering of Hyper-Specialist services in Daisy Hill Acute hospital, Newry is necessary to save lives. An official Needs assessment will also back this up, as Dept of Health illness stats by area detailed below show.
ILLNESS PREVALANCE STATS SHOW THE NEED IN NEWRY & DISTRICT
According to GP Registers in 2023 Newry & District GP Federation had the HIGHEST number in NI of patients on their register for Heart Failure (2,060 patients);also THIRD HIGHEST of the 17 GP Federation Registers for Hypertension (21,465 patients); Cancer (4,582 patients); Coronary Heart Disease (5,259 patients); Asthma (9,613 patients); Chronic Kidney disease (6,434 patients) and Atrial Fibrillation (3,258 patients).
Newry & District Federation also had fourth highest number of patients in NI with Stroke (2,680 patients) after GP Federations in Derry (3,991 patients) East Antrim (3,282), South West (2,749). (Source: DOH 2023)
THE NUFFIELD TRUST SAYS – URGENT NEED FOR SOUTHERN TRUST EXECUTIVE TEAM TO COMMIT TO THE DAISY HILL SITE
The Nuffield Trust Report also advised the Southern Trust that Public commitment to Daisy Hill Hospital from the Southern Trust Executive Team was urgently needed, writing:
1.Public commitment to the DH Site – There is an urgent need for the Executive Team to commit to the DH site and to a long-term plan for the two sites to be developed.’ (Page 4)
As recommended by the impartial Nuffield Trust Report, the Southern Trust Executive Team needs to make a firm commitment to Daisy Hill Acute Hospital and develop a long term plan for its future development.
Back in 2005 Labour Secretary of State to NI Peter Hain MP said that Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry should have full investment and development, and as the people here will testify, it is long, long overdue.
REFERENCES AND LINKS
*The full Nuffield Trust Report 31st March 2023 can be read in the preview below or downloaded by clicking on the Download button underneath :
(This report is also available from the Southern Trust website.)
Who are the Nuffield Trust?
“The Nuffield Trust is an independent health think tank. We aim to improve the quality of health care in the UK by providing evidence-based research and policy analysis and informing and generating debate.” https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/about/what-we-do
POPULATION INFORMATION
Newry & District’s very large population size is proven by official data, as in 2023 Newry & District has the 2nd highest number of patients on GP registers in NI (with 160,615) after only Derry, including the 2nd highest number of children in NI under 18, with (36,228 ): (Source DOH 2023).
Newry Mourne and Down is the 3rd largest Council in NI with a population of 182,634.This includes 45,193 children under 18 and 31,473 over the age of 65 (NISRA 2022).
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Newry Mourne and Down District Council recently announced a motion against the Permanent Secretary’s decision to permanently remove Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill Hospital and are calling for the new Health Minister to reinstate Emergency Surgery at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital immediately. (Link at end)
It is good to see this action from Newry Mourne and Down Councillors on this vitally important issue, whose job it is to speak and act for the people in their areas. The estimated population of Newry, Mourne and Down Council for 2023/24 is 185,808 adults and children (NISRA). Newry Mourne and Down has the third biggest Council population in NI, with the third largest land mass area.
The removal of Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry is a very serious withdrawal of a core timely life-saving Regional Emergency service from an Acute Hospital.
Centralisation of this kind also has a serious impact on all other Health Trusts especially the Ambulance Trust.
The Southern Trust does not have the authority to remove Regional Services.
This decision to permanently remove Emergency Surgery from an Acute Hospital can only be taken after a Regional Public Consultation and after approval by a Health Minister.
Just like the changes to Stroke Services and all other Regional Services which affect the whole population, before there are any permanent changes to Emergency Surgery Services at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry, the following will be required:
1. A proper Population Needs Assessment using official data from NISRA and 2. An open and accessible Regional Public Consultation on Emergency Surgery provision.
As Health Minister, Mr Robin Swann MLA will be aware of the importance of all factors in Regional health service decision making and will wish to ensure that there is no geographic disparity (inequality) in the core acute hospital services provided across the region.
He will also be aware of the need to match other core values for the Programme of Government including Good Relations, Rural Needs and Climate Change Regulations.
Health Minister Robin Swann MLA will be aware of all these factors and the decision now rests with him.
Daisy Hill hospital is the heart of the community – and needs to remain as an Acute Hospital, the people have paid for it to be there when they need it in an emergency.
Information on this and other similar topics is also available at the companion Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ Please Follow or Like the Page to receive updates. Thank you.
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We welcome sharing of this info and the use of excerpts and links, please give full and clear credit to http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com and Daisy Hill for Life with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Thank-you.
Daisy Hill Hospital for Life 