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.
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.
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.
We are many, we are strong and the Law is here to protect our Right to Healthcare
POPULATION NEED IN NEWRY & MOURNE
Newry & Mourne LGD* has always had the highest population; highest number of births and highest number of children aged under 18 of the five localities /LGDs) in the Southern Trust area.
(*See below for info on the 5 LGD populations in the Southern Trust )
Population Need: Newry & District GP Federation
Newry & District with 159,599 patients – has the 2nd Highest number of patients registered with the 17 GP Federations in all NI. (Derry is the highest and Newry & District is the Second Highest. Figures: 2021/22)
Newry & District has the 2nd Highest number of children in NI under 18 (36,117). Figures: 2021/22)
* The Newry & Mourne LGD is still relevant as the former 26 Council Model is still used today in terms of the ‘operational areas’ of the Health and Social Care Trusts in NI.
There are FIVE Local Government Districts (LGDs) in the Southern Trust area. In consistent order of population size since the Southern Health Trust was established in 2007, they rank:
>(1st) Newry & Mourne
>(2nd) Craigavon
>(3rd) Armagh
>(4th) Dungannon
>(5th) Banbridge.
Newry & Mourne LGD has a population of 106,813 with 28,116 (Children Under-18s) (2020 NISRA )
Newry & Mourne LGD has always had the highest population; highest number of births and highest number of children aged under 18 of the five localities /LGDs) in the Southern Trust area.
LAWS WHICH PROTECT YOU RE: HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE /PUBLIC SERVICES
>Human Rights Act 1998, (Right to life…etc)
>NI Act 1998, (Section 75 Equality categories including disability, political opinion, race, and so on)
>Fair Treatment and Employment Legislation (Access to premises)
>The Southern Health Social Services Trust (Establishment) Order (NI) 2006
>The Southern Health Social Services Trust (Dissolution Order) (NI) 2006
>Managing Public Money (NI)
We have to pre-pay for our hospital services in Daisy Hill Acute Area Hospital, Newry city through Regional Rates, Taxes and National insurance deductions from our wages so are entitled to value for money.
The Population need in Newry & Mourne and all Laws shown here must be adhered to by all relevant authorities when they commission and/or remove hospital services and accommodation.
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.
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust after waiting for over a year, reluctantly, has decided to go to Public Consultation, (because they have to), to get the people’s agreement to remove timely life saving Emergency Surgery, and its specialist clinical staff from Newry City’s Specialist Acute Hospital, Daisy Hill. This is because the Trust only want to provide Emergency Surgery in Craigavon Hospital.
WHY REPLYING TO THIS CONSULTATION IS IMPORTANT
Please write down a resounding NO to ALL the Questions in the Southern Trust Emergency Surgery Consultation Questionnaire for the following reasons:
Daisy Hill in Newry City is the ONLY designated Acute Hospital providing access to 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 large land mass size, Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry was designated, after a Department of Health NI Regional Consultation, as one of a Network of only nine Acute Hospitals in NI. 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 Southern Trust now want to break up the Regional Network of time reliant Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medical Services without Public consultation (until now). They are proposng to permanently remove access to this timely life saving Service -Emergency Surgery from the Newry & Mourne population at Daisy Hill Hospital.
Their Actions to date (without Consultation) show that the Southern Trust are only prepared to provide Emergency Surgery Services in one place – Craigavon, (initially in March 2020 for six months) and are again still refusing to provide timely Emergency Surgery in Newry City since February 2022.
The Southern Trust plan to remove Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital PERMANENTLY is contrary to Change or Withdrawal of Services or Equality, Rural Needs, Human Rights, or Disability legislation.
They are using as evidence a Regional Review on General Surgery, which is only advice and recommendations given to the former Minister for Health Robin Swann MLA which also did not even go to Regional Public Consultation.
Daisy Hill acute Hospital ED, Newry is not just a ‘local’ ED – it serves a wide surrounding area. Daisy Hill Hospital Pathfinder indentified only 75% of DHH ED attendances were from Newry & Mourne: 6.6% were from Armagh: 10% from Banbridge: Down 4%,: 0.6% Craigavon : ROI 1.2% and other 2.4%.
The people of Newry & Mourne and surrounding areas and all across Northern Ireland need Daisy Hill as a Specialist Acute Hospital and need to keep Emergency Surgery there to save lives.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
How to take part in the Consultation
Replies to the Southern Trust Emergency Surgery Consultation have to be in by Friday 21 April 2023.
If you want to help stop the permanent removal of Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry, you can take part in the Southern Trust’s Public Consultation through their Online Questionnaire – to help, please say NO at the link below.
Fill in your name and email address and then Answer NO to all the other Questions. Add extra comments if you wish. Then hit Submit:
For some Background Info This is A Summary of the Questions in the online Questionnaire
Question 1 – 4 Personal Info (Fill in name, email address etc..)
Question 5. Do you agree with the reasons for change outlined in the document? Select No
Question 7. Do you agree with proposal to provide Emergency General Surgery Services on the Craigavon Area Hospital site 24 hours per day 7 days per week? Select No
Question 9 An Equality Impact Assessment is available on the Trust website. Do you agree with the outcome of this assessment? Select No
Question 11. A Rural Needs Impact Assessment is available on the Trust website. Do you agree with the outcome of this assessment? Select No
Please help to retain our Specialist services in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry for future generations’ lives and to keep jobs in Newry & Mourne.
Please share this with your friends and loved ones who are away from home, because this affects extended family and all visitors too.
Please ask them if they will send in a Consultation reply too, saying ‘No’ to the Qs to stop the permanent removal of Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry before the Consultation Closes on Friday 21st April 2023.
Thank you. For background info – you may be interested in the following post too:
The most urgent Capital Priority and counter proposal when answering the Southern Trust Emergency Surgery Consultation is to build a Major new Specialist Acute Hospital in Newry city – not a community treatment centre.
This Capital Priority needed right now for Newry & Mourne is funding and business plan for a Specialist Acute Hospital building for the area, as agreed at Government level in 2005 so it is LONG overdue.
According to the Southern Trust, the Department of Health NI has allocated £4.5 million to spend on progressing acute health services in Newry city. The Trust says this funding was to purchase a site at Abbey Way, Newry and associated design for a new community treatment centre. But to progress acute services they should be provided in an ACUTE HOSPITAL in Newry just like in Craigavon – not just in a treatment centre. The £4.5million site, at Abbey Way, Newry, is large enough and the ideal place for a NEW Major Specialist Acute Hospital Building.
Official statistics have proven over and over that the large size of the growing population in the long established settlement in Newry & District justifies funding for a new build major Specialist Acute hospital in Newry City, as since 1971, Newry & Mourne LGD has always been in the top 4 highest populations in NI (after Belfast, Lisburn (Greater Belfast) and Derry) and Newry & Mourne LGD is projected to be the 3rd Highest by 2026. (A higher population than Derry) (NISRA)
Funding plans for a new hospital to upgrade Daisy Hill Acute Hospital were announced for Newry by previous Secretary of State, Sir Peter Hain in 2005 to match the population size. This funding has still not been followed up by the Southern Trust in their Capital Priorities Programme submitted to the Department of Health/ DoH, but the population has not forgotten.
Building a new Specialist Acute Area Hospital building in Newry could then complement the Daisy Hill Hospital building, if the intention is to reconfigure Daisy Hill into a ring-fenced elective care centre (instead of a specialist acute hospital) as the Southern Trust have proposed.
The proposed removal of Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city to Craigavon is forefront in people’s minds. At the recent public meeting in the Canal Court Hotel, the few people who were allowed to speak made it clear to the Southern Trust representatives there that they were totally opposed to removal of emergency surgery, and questioned the Trust’s constant removal of acute services from Newry, as well as the Southern Trust’s failure to provide beds for patients and diagnostic equipment for Staff in Daisy Hill, Newry city.
If the DoH and Southern Trust are now ready to offer some long overdue capital investment to actually provide specialist acute services in a specialist hospital in Newry instead of transferring services, beds and equipment to Craigavon, then the people of Newry & Mourne, South Armagh and surrounding areas may well be interested in their proposals.
If the Southern Trust fail to provide for the Newry & Mourne population, and keep up this policy of transferring specialist services to Craigavon, they will be called out on this as it goes against the Rural Needs Act and other legislation.
Calls for fair treatment can be expressed through talking to Councillors, asking for an emergency Council meeting and through responding in writing to the Consultation on Emergency Surgery.
The Southern Trust need to listen to what we want – not continue telling us what we can’t have.
This is the one and only chance in your lifetime you are ever going to get to write to the Southern Trust what you want, what you pay for through Rates and Taxes, and more importantly what you are entitled to. The Southern Trust have a statutory duty to take into account in their decision making and responses, any suggestions you make in reply to the consultation on removal of emergency surgery from Newry to Craigavon.
That is why when 19,000 people including over 12,000 people from this area opposed the centralisation of Stroke services to Craigavon, Altnagelvin and Belfast the Department of Health couldn’t go ahead with their unfair proposals because of the opposition.
We have a right to challenge the constant removal of Specialist Acute Services especially Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medical Services from Newry to Craigavon.
Daisy Hill for Life is asking people of Newry, Mourne and Down to write NO to the questions in the Southern Trust Consultation Questionnaire on centralising Emergency surgery to Craigavon.
Please also speak/write to your Councillors, MLAs, MPs and Trade Unions asking them for their support in rejecting the Southern Trust’s proposal to remove Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry. (How to contact them : see this page: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/how-you-can-help/ )
Please also ask for their support for the need for the long overdue Major new Specialist Acute Hospital Building in Newry – not a community treatment centre. A new Major Specialist Acute Hospital building will also bring huge economic benefits to Newry, including construction jobs.
Read how Newry & Mourne Local Government District was incorrectly made to look like the smallest population in Southern Trust area when it was really the largest, in a crucially important Population Plan Table, created in 2013 for the influential ‘Transforming Your Care’ Health Review – Playing with numbers, playing with people’s lives
This article also gives vitally important information on the population sizes of the 5 Local Government Districts which make up the Southern Health and Social Care Trust operational area.
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 