Tag Archives: NI Ambulance service

07.20.19
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Largest rural population in NI: Newry, Mourne and Down Local Gov. District must have immediate access to life saving 999 Emergency Stroke Care

Withdrawal of immediate access to life saving 999 Emergency Stroke Care, including direct admission into the existing specialist Acute Stroke Unit from Newry, Mourne & Down Locality is not fair and equitable treatment. Under the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016 due regard must be given by Public Authorities to the needs of rural populations to fairly access key public services. This includes immediate, not delayed access to hospital stroke care. The largest rural population is in Northern Ireland is in Newry, Mourne & Down Local Government District which includes South Armagh.

Under the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016 due regard must be given by Public Authorities to the needs of rural populations to fairly access key public services. This includes immediate, not delayed access to hospital stroke care.

The largest rural population is in Northern Ireland is in Newry, Mourne & Down Local Government District which includes South Armagh.

Since 2018, the Rural Needs Act 2016 (NI), which aims to deliver fairer and more equitable treatment in Rural areas, must be adhered to by all Public bodies in NI. Because of this, the Dept. of Health filled in a Rural Needs Assessment Form to accompany the 2019 NI Stroke Consultation.

Definition of Rural in Rural Needs Assessment Form

On this form, the definition of “Rural” which according to the DOH “is better able to distinguish between those who will be MOST IMPACTED by additional travel times caused by proposed changes to services is:
“Populations outside of a 30 minute drive time of Derry/Londonderry or Belfast”

Using the above definition confirms that the 5 Urban hospitals in the Stroke Consultation 2019 are:
Altnagelvin, Royal Victoria, Craigavon, Antrim and Ulster hospitals,
while there are only three Rural Acute hospitals:–
Daisy Hill, Newry, Causeway Hospital, Coleraine and South West Hospital, Enniskillen.

The DoH’s reply to Question 2B in the Rural Needs Assessment states:

“The key impact that differently affects rural dwellers is likely to relate to travel times to hospital etc.” They continue:
“ALL OF THE OPTIONS outlined in the consultation document INCLUDE the provision of hospital care” at “Altnagelvin, Craigavon and Royal Victoria Hospital” (all URBAN Sites.) “Therefore people living in the catchment areas for these three sites WILL NOT experience any increase in respect of travel times. Under the potential options, people living in the catchment areas for Causeway Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital, WOULD experience an INCREASE in journey times if taken to hospital after a suspected stroke.”

INCREASE IN JOURNEY TIMES AFTER A SUSPECTED STROKE FOR RURAL CATCHMENT AREAS

From research by Werner Hacke, MD It is known that the drug “Alteplase” used in Thrombolysis, is nearly twice as effective when administered WITHIN the first 1.5 hours after stroke as it is when administered 1.5 to 3 hours after stroke.

Yet, The DoH have admitted, above, that there WILL BE AN INCREASE IN JOURNEY TIMES for people living in the Rural Catchment areas of Causeway and Daisy Hill hospitals, and that people living in the Urban catchment areas of Altnagelvin, Craigavon, and Royal Victoria hospitals WILL NOT experience any increase in respect of travel times.

They have decided also to WITHDRAW COMPLETELY the existing stroke units in the Rural Locations of Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry and Causeway Hospital, Coleraine. This proposal means dying stroke patients from these Rural localities will have to TRAVEL FURTHER for the CRITICALLY TIME DEPENDENT, LIFE-SAVING drug Alteplase used in Thrombolysis, and direct access from ED into the existing combined Specialist Acute/Rehabilitation Stroke Units in Daisy Hill, Newry, and Causeway Hospital, Coleraine, essential to save lives.

Daisy Hill Hospital Emergency Department is vital for stroke and life threatening emergencies

The 3 Urban Hospitals Altnagelvin, Craigavon, and Royal Victoria will never experience an increase in travel times because they feature in all 6 Options in the 2019 Stroke Questionnaire to be upgraded to Hyperacute stroke units with co-located Acute Stroke Units.

RURAL HOSPITALS OF DAISY HILL AND CAUSEWAY OMITTED FROM ALL SIX OPTIONS

However the two Rural hospitals of Daisy Hill and Causeway have been omitted altogether from all six options, confirming they will be shut down as if they never existed as part of the network providing 999 Emergency Stroke care to the population of NI.

THERE ARE NO RURAL HOSPITALS INCLUDED IN ALL 6 OPTIONS FOR HYPERACUTE AND ACUTE STROKE UNITS.

The DOH forget that Rurality is a factor in allocating Health and Social Care Funding which means that there is extra money to provide services in Rural areas which should be taken into account in deciding where stroke Units will be provided.

*********RURAL NEEDS ACT (2016)*************

To have Three Hyperacute stroke units for Urban Areas of NI in all 6 Options and NO Option for a Hyperacute Stroke Unit for the Catchment population for the LARGEST RURAL POPULATION in NI namely Newry, Mourne & Down (which includes S.Armagh) Local Government District is NOT FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT in revising policies, strategies and plans, and designing and delivering public services such as Acute Stroke Care under the 2016 Rural Needs Act.

The Rural Needs Act NI 2016, (which is not a devolved matter) is there to PROTECT the Rural Population from this unfair treatment and “can relate to the ability to access key public services such as health, the ability to access suitable employment opportunities, and the ability to enjoy a healthy lifestyle”.

NEWRY MOURNE & DOWN LOCALITY SHOULD ALREADY HAVE A MAJOR ACUTE HOSPITAL

Just as in the Western Trust (with a total population of 301,448*) there is need for TWO Specialist Acute Stroke Units - so too, the Southern Trust (with a larger population of 380,312*) is also entitled to TWO Specialist Stroke Units (HASUs and Acute Stroke Units), at Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry and Craigavon Hospital. This would ensure that everyone in the Southern Trust has immediate access to CT scanning and life saving thrombolysis, followed by direct access into a stroke unit.

There is no doubt that Newry Mourne and Down LGD with the largest Rural population in NI with 179,000 people, SHOULD ALREADY have a major acute hospital, in Newry as proposed by Secretary of State Peter Hain in 2005.

This Stroke consultation shows that the Department of Health are not even prepared to give dying stroke patients from the largest rural Population in NI, the basic essential need of immediate access to Emergency Stroke Care.

The Rural catchment population for Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry, is not being treated fairly and equitability in the same way as the catchment population of the Urban Stroke Units in Altnagelvin, Craigavon and Royal Victoria Hospitals who will have immediate access, as they should, to life saving stroke care, in Hyperacute and Acute Stroke Units without having to travel further than at present.

This deliberate plan to exclude the Rural populations need for IMMEDIATE, not delayed, access to life saving Emergency Stroke Care, including CT scanning and Thrombolysis, followed by direct access into a specialist Hyperacute Stroke Unit /Acute Stroke Unit will COST LIVES, not save lives of Stroke patients and should not be condoned.

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BACKGROUND INFO
Link to Rural Needs Act 2016
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/…/19/pdfs/nia_20160019_en.pdf

“RURAL NEEDS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 2016
Duty of public authorities to have due regard to rural needs
1.(1) A public authority must have due regard to rural needs when— (a) developing, adopting, implementing or revising policies, strategies and plans, and (b) designing and delivering public services.
6. In this Act— “the Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; “rural needs” means the social and economic needs of persons in rural areas.”
‘PUBLIC AUTHORITIES’ include:
A Northern Ireland department
A district council
A Health and Social Care Trust
Invest Northern Ireland
The Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-Being
The Regional Health and Social Care Board

06.11.19
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Urgent Message to HSCNI: Retain Emergency Stroke Services in Newry Now

Urgent Message to the HSCNI: Retain Emergency Stroke Services in Newry Now (Re: NI stroke Consultation 2019) As Trusted Clinicians confirmed scanning and thrombolysis would remain in Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry city.

There is plenty of Clinical evidence in support of the combined Acute Stroke/Rehabilitation Unit at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry. Multiple official quotes show that Clinicians, Directors, Chief Executive and the Health Minister in 2014, spoke in favour of keeping all emergency Stroke Services, especially scanning and Thrombolysis (Alteplase – clot busting drugs treatment) in Daisy Hill Hospital.

This evidence from the Southern Trust Stroke Consultation in 2014 is relevant today as Stroke Services in the Southern Trust was used as a local case study in the Bengoa Expert Panel report (2016, p72). This Bengoa Report continues to inform Health Policy in 2019.

The 2014 Consultation questionnaire itself and clinician’s statements made it very clear that emergency services for stroke – Scanning and Thrombolysis would always be in Daisy Hill Hospital. This was reiterated by more official statements in press, minutes and meetings in 2014/15.

Now fast forward to 2019, the people of Newry & Mourne discover that in the latest NI wide Stroke Consultation, the Emergency services for stroke (Scanning and Thrombolysis), that Trusted clinicians had assured them would remain, are proposed for removal from Newry too.
Secondly Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry is completely excluded from the Stroke consultation Options and Questionnaire.

We will not accept this – and we ask the Permanent Secretary to deliver on his promised statement:

“to do better, for the public we serve”

(Source: Department of Health Blog 05.04.2019)

>This urgent message to the HSC Northern Ireland, is to ask them to publicly explain their actions for the proposed Change or Withdrawal of Services from Daisy Hill, Newry – one of the designated acute hospitals in Northern Ireland with 24/7 emergency services.

We urgently request the Health Social Care Northern Ireland (HSCNI) to take action to Retain Emergency Stroke Services in Newry Now.

We need to appeal for Emergency Care for the dying and vulnerable in our society.

Act FAST Stroke - HyperAcute Stroke Unit for Newry 2019

CLINICAL EVIDENCE QUOTE EXAMPLES – supporting Emergency Stroke Care at Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry

Example 1:

“The Southern Local Commissioning Group supported the proposal to retain thrombolysis on both Craigavon and Daisy Hill Hospital sites, given the need to ensure that for those patients who are suitable for this procedure, they receive it within the optimum time.”

(Source: Appendix 1, Southern Local Commissioning Group, March 2015)

Example 2:

“We are proposing that patients who have had a stroke will continue to go to their nearest Emergency department, at Daisy Hill or Craigavon, where they will receive the appropriate specialist assessment. Stroke Thrombolysis, the clot busting drug, can be provided at both sites to the patients who are suitable. This is the same immediate and urgent access to emergency care that patients experience at present.”

(Source: Southern Trust Chief Executive, M. McAlinden, at a meeting with the Newry & Mourne Council representatives, in the presence of senior medical staff and Directors, ‘Chief Executive meets with Newry and Mourne Council Representatives’ Southern Trust Website 21/10/2014)

BACKGROUND
The 2014 decision by the Southern Trust to create a single specialist stroke inpatient unit in Craigavon was widely contested by the people and the Council of the largest locality in the southern Trust – Newry & Mourne. The high performing stroke unit, on Level 6, Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry was the only existing Specialist Acute Stroke Rehabilitation Unit in the Southern Trust.

Newry and Mourne population Rally for enhanced Stroke services at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in 2015
2015 Rally to Save Stroke Services at Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry was attended by over 10,000.

This appeal for Emergency Care for the dying and vulnerable in our society continues in 2020, so we urgently request the HSCNI to take action to Retain Emergency Stroke Services in Newry Now.

Please share widely if you agree. You can follow the Daisy Hill Acute Hospital campaign also by visiting and liking our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ – Thank you.

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© Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook and http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com, 2015 – 2021.

05.29.19
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NI Stroke Consultation 2019: ‘TIME IS BRAIN’ – URBAN and RURAL

Time is Brain - Urban and Rural -None of the Options in the NI Stroke Consultattion are best for all of NI. Every minute matters during a stroke says London Stroke Strategy.

Stroke is a crucially time dependant 999 Emergency Service for ALL the POPULATION of Northern Ireland – no matter where they live – URBAN or RURAL. The location of stroke units is vitally important so that immediate access is available for ALL.

HSCNI Reshaping Stroke Care proposals 2019 do not reflect the URGENCY of the complete stroke pathway – especially from ONSET OF STROKE TO ARRIVAL IN HOSPITAL for ALL the population of Northern Ireland.

> Every delay in time in treating stroke patients will cost lives – not save lives.

The Royal College of Physicians states the best outcome for patients is achieved when the time from onset of Stroke to treatment is as SHORT as possible:

“So the more we can do both to reduce the time taken from the start of symptoms to arrival in hospital, and from arrival in hospital to treatment, the less disability people will suffer.”

[Royal College of Physicians SSNAP Report 2016.]

Newry Mourne and Down (which includes South Armagh) is the 3rd highest population in Northern Ireland with a population of 179,000 (105,000 living in a rural area).

Why does this local government district and other rural areas in Northern Ireland have to COMPROMISE YET AGAIN for life saving 999 EMERGENCY services, while all 6 proposed options in the Consultation include: Belfast, Derry and Craigavon.

Belfast, Derry and Craigavon areas do not even need to answer the consultation document, because in this Department of Health Stroke Consultation, Reshaping Stroke Care 2019’, they are guaranteed a Hyperacute Stroke Unit co located with Acute Stroke Unit on their doorstep.

CONCLUSION
Nothing justifies the removal of Stroke services from the long established combined specialist Acute Stroke/ Rehabilitation Unit in Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry City (the only one of its kind in the Southern Trust).

OPTIONS
Daisy Hill Hospital’s Specialist Stroke Unit in Newry must feature in the proposed 2019 NI Stroke Consultation Options.

It must be retained and enhanced to a Hyperacute Stroke Unit co-located with an Acute Stroke Unit as part of the LONG TERM future plan for Stroke Services in NI- so the dedicated staff can continue to save lives and reduce disability if the DoH NI wants to save lives with better outcomes.

For more info on this topic – see https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2019/05/05/ni-stroke-consultation-2019-overview/ and
https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2019/05/05/ni-consultation-document-does-not-fully-follow-the-research-evidence-referred-to/

You can follow the Daisy Hill Acute Hospital campaign also by visiting and liking our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ – Thank you.

08.02.17
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Balanced Representation for Newry and Mourne population essential before Daisy Hill Hospital ED Pathfinder discussions

Balanced Representation for the population of Newry & Mourne is essential – before any initial Daisy Hill Hospital Pathfinder discussions on future Consultant led 24/7 Emergency Services and Acute services in Newry City.

 After initial inspection of the membership of the Pathfinder Project Group from the documents – we assert that it is unfairly balanced in favour of the Southern Trust (SHSCT)/Board management in overall membership. (See PIE CHART 1)

Initial suggested membership of Daisy Hill Hospital Emergency Department Pathfinder Group is unfairly balanced in favour of the Southern Trust and Health Board management

REDRESS THE BALANCE

To redress the planning and decision making balance, we are suggesting some immediate changes to the make-up of this Pathfinder Group before any community involvement is even considered, to ensure a level playing field with equal voting rights. This will ensure that community involvement is meaningful and actually impacts upon the decision making and is not merely a box ticking exercise.

NEED FOR EQUAL REPRESENTATION

As the Southern Trust Management feel they are entitled to choose 13 members including the Chair, we are also entitled to choose an EQUAL number of members representing the community of patients, service users, families, staff and politicians, from the Newry, Mourne and South Armagh Locality. (See PIE CHART 2)

Redress the balance of Daisy Hill Hospital Emergency Department Pathfinder Group with an equal number of members representing the community of patients, service users, families, staff and politicians, from the Newry, Mourne and South Armagh Locality

We need to make sure that this is a proper forum and not just a communications pilot exercise by the Southern Trust in their attempt to implement the criteria from the Bengoa Report and the Transformation Implementation Group’s agenda.

There is a responsibility on all sides to ensure the community’s views are gathered, recorded and represented fairly.

CONCLUSION

In view of the seriousness of the threat of change / withdrawal of life-saving ACUTE AND EMERGENCY Services for both children and adults; we are entitled to full consultation and fair representation on the Daisy Hill Hospital Pathfinder Group as shown in Pie Chart 2. The Pathfinder Group is also known as the ‘SHSCT Task and Finish Group.’

Why have we not been given a level playing field in voting rights and a proper consultation?  We need to be assured of equal voting rights and proper consultation immediately.

This is not an ‘exciting project’ for us – we are the people who will bear the brunt of the removal of ED services which deals with all life threatening Emergencies WHERE EVERY MINUTE COUNTS. The present and future lives and outcomes of everyone who needs ACUTE and ED Services in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital are worth fighting for.

We should not have to fight to get Acute & ED services which we have paid for, and is our right.

Background info:

Project Name: Daisy Hill Hospital Emergency Department Pathfinder Project With Identification of Regional Learning.

You can follow the Daisy Hill Acute Hospital campaign also by visiting and liking our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ – Thank you.

© Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook and http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com, 2015 – 2017. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com and Daisy Hill for Life with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Thank-you!

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08.18.15
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Access to hospital services

Land mass area of Southern Health and social services Trust. Infographic by Daisy Hill for life 2015

Infographic by Daisy Hill for Life

Every hospital service the Southern Trust centralises to Craigavon from Daisy Hill Acute hospital, Newry makes it nearly impossible for the Ambulance Service to respond within acceptable time limits. The Southern Trust state in their Delivery Plan (Draft) 2015/16 it is not applicable to them that 72.5% of Category A ( Life Threatening) calls are responded to within 8 minutes by ambulances.

The Southern Trust’s attitude of get there whatever way you can to access hospital services both to the population of Newry and the Greater Newry and Mourne, Area of Banbridge and Armagh, and to Ambulance Personnel must be questioned. The Southern Trust need to address this urgently. They take no responsibility that every hospital service the Southern Trust centralises to Craigavon from Daisy Hill Acute hospital, Newry makes it nearly impossible for the Ambulance Service to respond within acceptable time limits.The diagram shows the vast area the Ambulance Service must cover to bring patients to only one acute Hospital in Craigavon, in the most Northern Area of the Southern Trust.

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07.17.15
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Urgent! hospital planning Applications for Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry; and Craigavon are on NI Planning portal to view

Act Now for Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry

Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry & Craigavon Hospital, Portadown Plans on NI planning Portal

Important hospital planning news: One refurbished ward for Daisy Hill, Newry and a new stand-alone Paediatric Unit in Craigavon – the start of Craigavon’s NEW HOSPITAL master-plan.

Southern Health Trust’s proposed plan for Craigavon’s new hospital and centralised children’s hospital services in Newry & Mourne, Armagh, Dungannon, South Tyrone, Banbridge and Craigavon is now at Planning Stage. Todd Architect’s proposed plan states: “The new stand-alone paediatric unit is the first building project in a proposed phased MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT for the Craigavon HOSPITAL SITE.. positioned as a gateway to the NEW HOSPITAL future entrance.”

Daisy Hill Hospital has been announced in the press as a proposed new Centre of excellence for Children but a comparison of the two Plans reveal that Daisy Hill is proposed a 19 bed re-development of the existing stroke ward on Level 6 to change to a children’s ward – while Craigavon Plan proposes a new stand-alone building with a Paediatric Unit with 5 consultants offices and more.

View these Planning Proposals at ni.planning.gov.uk Planning portal
This portal is sometimes hard to search – For faster direct access to plans portal ignore Ref number etc and Search using >Application details tab then select Ward = Ballybot for Daisy Hill and select Ward = Kernan for Craigavon.
Planning applications including: a detailed description, plans, maps and drawings are available to view on the Planning NI Web Portal www.planningni.gov.uk or at the Local Area Planning Office or by contacting NI Direct on 0300 200 7830. Written comments should be submitted before 24th July. Please quote the application number in any correspondence and note that all representations made, including objections, will be posted on the Planning NI Web Portal

© Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook and http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com, 2015 – 2017. We welcome sharing this info and the use of Excerpts and links, provided that full and clear credit is given to http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com and Daisy Hill for Life with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Thank-you!

03.28.15
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8,000 people unite to support Daisy Hill Acute Hospital Rally

Save Daisy Hill Hospital Campaign Rally today had a brilliant turn out from the people of Newry & Mourne today with all the community united in support of the Hospital.  8,000 people (PSNI estimate) showed their support by a Rally followed by a march to Daisy Hill Acute Hospital where the Mayor of Newry & Mourne Council, Daire Hughes handed in a letter to the Southern Trust on behalf of the people.

Thank you to everyone who came out in person and all those who support the campaign but were unable to attend today.  The campaign continues! We can save Daisy Hill for Life!  There is still time for the Southern Trust and Southern Commissioning Group to rescind the decision to remove stroke services from Daisy Hill and transport services to Craigavon Hospital.

Daisy Hill Hospital Newry

8000 people gather in support of Daisy Hill Hospital

© Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook and http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com, 2015 – 2017. We welcome sharing this info and the use of Excerpts and links, provided that full and clear credit is given to http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com and Daisy Hill for Life with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Thank-you!

This website is a free website from WordPress and adverts which appear here are not endorsed or controlled by the Web admin team of Save Daisy Hill Hospital.com

Link to the Daisy Hill for life community page on Facebook is available here.