by Admin 4

Another Budget, Another Boost for Craigavon, but what about Daisy Hill? Your Help Needed in April 2025 -DoH Draft Budget Consultation

YOUR HELP NEEDED: ANOTHER BUDGET, ANOTHER BOOST FOR CRAIGAVON – BUT WHAT ABOUT DAISY HILL?

Today’s another day to do something good for Daisy Hill. Thanks to everyone who took part in the Hospital Network consultation. This time it’s all about the MONEY! £££. The next stage of the plan is to please help Daisy Hill again, through the Department of Health Draft BUDGET 2025-6 Consultation.

By taking part you can make a difference and help stop the cull of more acute hospital services from Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry.

As this Budget is all about CAPITAL spending, by taking part people will also be helping keep with one of the SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee’s main strategic objectives (mentioned in the lead up to their 2024 AGM) which is ‘(2) To lobby in the long term for more capital spend on Daisy Hill so it has the architectural build of a 21^st century acute hospital.’

We need to ask the Department directly for funding for Stage 1 Redevelopment of Daisy Hill as an acute Area Hospital as well as funding for specialist INPATIENT acute services (especially Emergency, including Surgery and Stroke etc) and more inpatient beds and specialist Clinical staff for Daisy Hill in Newry.

The Southern Trust won’t ask for capital investment for Daisy Hill – but we all can ask the Department and the Minister directly through the Budget Consultation for Daisy Hill’s share. It only takes 5 minutes and some suggested answers are here for you with this post. (See below)

The closing date is very soon as replies have to be in by NEXT Wednesday 09 April. Sorry for the short notice – as we only heard about this recently.

HOW AND WHY?

From Day 1 when they took over in 2007, the Southern Trust put the need to redevelop Craigavon Hospital first, in front of Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry. Their Business Plans from 2007 onwards show this. (See Refs). This is despite the fact they were both hospitals of equal Acute status. Now it’s 2025, another Budget and despite ££££millions already spent on Craigavon, they want to spend MORE.

For those who think this is because Craigavon has a bigger population – it doesn’t – Newry & Mourne locality has ALWAYS had the highest population of the 5 localities (lgds) in the Southern Trust.

So, when will it be Daisy Hill Acute Hospital’s turn for some proper funding for redevelopment?

Time for Investment for Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry

THE BUDGET PROPOSALS – CAPITAL SPENDING

>>The DOH Draft Budget 2025-26 proposes funding for extra hospital beds capacity for Craigavon Hospital, as a ‘critical’ capital scheme, but the ‘critical’ Budget proposal for Newry is not for extra bed capacity or future redevelopment of Daisy Hill Hospital or funding for specialist acute services – but instead to build a new Community Treatment Centre (Health Centre) in Newry, (P15/17 Equality doc).

>>This new community treatment centre is to be built (costing approx £88.3million) with the purpose of stripping acute hospital services from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital. In the trust’s own words:

“The Trust is continuing to progress plans for a Health and Care centre in Newry which will support the shift of Acute services primarily from Daisy Hill Hospital to a community facility.”

(*Southern Trust Delivery Plan 2018/19).

The Southern Trust is again completely focused on asking DOH for funding to enhance Craigavon Hospital but not for funding for beds or Consultant – led inpatient acute SERVICES in Daisy Hill acute Hospital in Newry, in another unfair allocation of resources. This is being done without a proper assessment of the needs of the 3^rd largest council in NI: Newry Mourne and Down population of c182,634 (NISRA Sept 2024).

BUT YOU CAN HELP! Health Minister Mr Mike Nesbitt MLA wants to know if we agree with this Dept of Health Draft Budget Consultation 2025-26 and replies will be taken into consideration. They say: ‘All responses will be considered as part of the Department of Health funding decisions.’

Please join in and write and ask for a fair share for Newry’s Daisy Hill. We will not get another chance to do this.

Since the Southern Trust decided not to include Daisy Hill Hospital in their rebuilding plans we must let the DOH know the budget injustices in the Southern Trust.

SUGGESTED ANSWERS AVAILABLE HERE

Suggested Answers to the three Questions asked in the DOH NI Consultation: Equality Impact and Rural Needs Impact Assessment of the 2025-26 Draft Budget are available with this post and (if you want) you can copy and paste the answers into your own email to Email: draftbudget25-26response@health-ni.gov.uk (By NEXT Wednesday 9th April 2025)

Please share to help spread the word to everyone you know. Thank you.

Suggested answers here and on the facebook page.

TO DOWNLOAD THE SHORTER ANSWERS

>For people with access to Microsoft word a Word document (Shorter suggested answers) to attach to your email is available to Download below.

Answers to DoH Draft Budget 2025-6. V2a Shorter Download

Or if you cant download the file – please see below:

Shorter Answers to the three Questions asked in the Consultation on the Department of Health Draft Budget 2025-26 Equality Impact Assessment.

Q4. a. Are there any adverse impacts in relation to any of the Section 75 equality groups that have not been identified in section 5 of the EQIA Consultation document? If so, what are they?

Yes there are harmful impacts that have not been identified. The ‘critical spend’ to build a new ‘Newry Community Treatment Centre’ will allow the removal of more ‘acute services’ which are being stripped and transferred from Newry’s Acute Hospital at Daisy Hill. As the Southern Trust Delivery Plan 2018/19, p97 states: *“The Trust is continuing to progress plans for a Health and Care centre in Newry which will support the shift of Acute services primarily from Daisy Hill Hospital to a community facility.”

All Equality groups in the large population of Newry & Mourne will be denied timely access to acute hospital inpatient services they need (previously provided in Daisy Hill Hospital). This will mean they will be further disadvantaged as they will unacceptably have to travel all the way to Craigavon to access vital hospital inpatient acute services (including in an emergency). This will cost them extra money, and make it more difficult for them to access a necessary public service, for which funding had been allocated for them.

b. Please state what action you think could be taken to reduce or eliminate any adverse impacts in allocation of the Department’s draft budget?

Action 1: Redirect the proposed funding for (1) ‘Newry Community Treatment Centre’ (c£88.3 million) and (2) ‘additional bed capacity at Craigavon’ and use it instead for extra inpatient acute beds in Daisy Hill Hospital and to provide the first stage of a new major specialist acute Area Hospital building in Newry City. This new hospital should be secured for the long term future in Newry as an Area Acute Hospital with 24/7 Level 1 ED, ICU and permanent major diagnostic equipment including MRI, CT and non obstetric ultrasound scanning equipment, (essential for retention of specialist clinical staff).

C: Are there any other comments you would like to make in regard to this EQIA or the consultation process generally?

When Health Budgets are shared out they are supposed to be allocated fairly but these budget proposals are not based on the needs of all the population in the Southern Trust. Newry & District has the second highest number of Patients of the 17 GP Registers in NI (c161,308) (DOH 2023) after only Derry and the continued failure of the Southern Trust to provide TIMELY access to specialist hospital inpatient healthcare in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry can be ignored no longer.

Under the Rural Needs Act it is the duty of the Department to ensure that the social and economic needs of the Newry Mourne and Down area is looked after. The economic prosperity of rural areas depends on employment opportunities that having a fully functioning specialist Acute Hospital like Daisy Hill brings. Newry is the gateway to NI and there must be a major acute Area hospital with 24/7 Level 1 ED to provide for road, farm, school, and work accidents etc this must be considered and can’t be ignored.

END OF SHORTER ANSWER SHEET (Answers V2a)

TO DOWNLOAD MORE DETAILED ANSWERS – SEE BELOW

Longer Answer Sheet to Download to your device (Response V1b)

>For people with access to Microsoft word, a Word document (Longer suggested answers) to attach to your email is available to Download below, by clicking on the Download button.

Response to DoH Draft Budget 2025-6. V1bDownload

If you can’t download the file – For Suggested Answers Pages- longer and shorter versions please see the links below for the answers in full on the Daisy Hill for Life website:

Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/?locale=en_GB

Links and Background

CONSULTATION LINK

Department of Health NI Consultation: Equality Impact and Rural Needs Impact Assessment of the 2025-26 Budget Outcome – all documents available from the Department of Health’s website and link below:

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-draft-budget-2025-26

The Equality Impact, Rural Assessment and Easy Read Consultation Docs are available below:

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-01/doh-consultation-draft-budget-25-26-equality-impact-assessment.pdf

See page 15 of the Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) for the Budget Plans in Southern Trust. (The pdf page number is p17)

See page 51 of EQIA for the Consultation info and Questions. (The pdf page number is p53)

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-01/doh-consultation-draft-budget-25-26-rural-needs-impact-assessment.pdf

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-03/doh-equality-impact-draft-budget-2025-26-easy-read.pdf

Background:

Population – NISRA :

Population info on Daisy Hill for Life website: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/

https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/?locale=en_GB

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.

04.06.25

by Admin 4

Shorter Suggested Answers for DOH Draft Budget 2025-26 Equality Assessment (Version 2)

Completed Answers to the three Questions asked about the Department of Health Draft Budget 2025-26 Equality Impact Assessment. (shorter version)

Q4. a. Are there any adverse impacts in relation to any of the Section 75 equality groups that have not been identified in section 5 of the EQIA Consultation document? If so, what are they?

b. Please state what action you think could be taken to reduce or eliminate any adverse impacts in allocation of the Department’s draft budget?

C: Are there any other comments you would like to make in regard to this EQIA or the consultation process generally?

Shorter Suggested Answers Ends Here

Ways to Respond

All responses will be considered as part of the Department of Health funding decisions.

Comments on the Departments 2025-26 Draft Budget Equality Impact Assessment can be submitted by email.

Email: draftbudget25-26response@health-ni.gov.uk

Compose a New Message (or use pen icon)

Put Email Address: draftbudget25-26response@health-ni.gov.uk into the ‘To‘ field of the Email (Recipient) write an Email in the normal way – you can type your comments and copy and paste any of these suggested answers as you wish.

Give your name and ask for a reply.

Click Send

Links and Background

CONSULTATION LINK

Department of Health NI Consultation: Equality Impact and Rural Needs Impact Assessment of the 2025-26 Budget Outcome – all documents available from the link below:

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-draft-budget-2025-26

Quick Access to Consultation Docs –

Draft Budget 2025-26 – Equality Impact AssessmentAdobe PDF (1 MB) https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-01/doh-consultation-draft-budget-25-26-equality-impact-assessment.pdf

Draft Budget 2025-26 – Rural Needs Impact AssessmentAdobe PDF https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-01/doh-consultation-draft-budget-25-26-rural-needs-impact-assessment.pdf (617 KB)

Draft Budget 2025-26 Easy Read https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-03/doh-equality-impact-draft-budget-2025-26-easy-r ead.pdf

Short Suggested Answers (Version 2 ) to download

Answers to DoH Draft Budget 2025-6. V2a ShorterDownload

Background

Population information – NISRA:

More population info from Daisy Hill for life: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/

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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04.06.25

by Admin 4

Suggested Response for DoH Draft Budget 2025-2026 Equality Impact Assessment (Version 1)

>For people with access to Microsoft word, a Word document (Longer suggested answer to answer the three Questions asked) to attach to your email is available to Download below.

Response to DoH Draft Budget 2025-6. V1bDownload

If you can’t download the file – please see below for the Answers to the three questions asked (Q4a – c, page 51 of EQIA doc:

Response to the Department of Health Draft Budget 2025-26 Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA). (Longer version, V1b)

4. As part of the consultation process, we invite stakeholders to consider the information included within this EQIA and provide feedback through the following consultation questions.

Q4. a. Are there any adverse impacts in relation to any of the Section 75 equality groups that have not been identified in section 5 of the EQIA Consultation document? If so, what are they?

Yes, all nine equality groups in Newry & Mourne Local Government District, the highest LGD population in the Southern Trust area, (with the largest population of children), will be harmed by the Southern Trust budget proposal to spend c£88.3 million to build a new ‘Newry Community Treatment Centre’ in Newry for ‘acute services’ which are being stripped and transferred from Newry’s Acute Hospital at Daisy Hill.

The Southern Trust Delivery Plan 2018/19, p97 has already stated regarding the purpose of this Treatment centre: “The Trust is continuing to progress plans for a Health and Care centre in Newry which will support the shift of Acute services primarily from Daisy Hill Hospital to a community facility.”

Serious harmful impacts will arise from this – It is not equal treatment for this budget to allow the removal of acute services from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry, while the budget proposal for Craigavon Hospital is to expand ‘extra bed capacity’, all decided without a Population Needs Assessment. NISRA Population statistics show that there has always been a higher population in Newry & Mourne Locality/lgd than in Craigavon Locality/lgd.

The large population of Newry & Mourne will be denied access to acute hospital inpatient services they need (previously provided in Daisy Hill Hospital) meaning they will be further disadvantaged as they will unacceptably have to travel all the way to Craigavon to access hospital inpatient acute services (including in an emergency). This will cost them extra money, and make it more difficult for them to access a necessary public service, for which funding had been allocated for them.

It will also take jobs away from Newry and must be examined in terms of human rights and good relations.

Please look at the Census 2021 data on religious background and political background by local government district ward.

Q4b. Please state what action you think could be taken to reduce or eliminate any adverse impacts in allocation of the Department’s draft budget?

The DOH have a duty of care to ensure Daisy Hill Acute Hospital gets the funding for services, redevelopment and clinical staff it is entitled to and must be included in Southern Trust requested budget allocations. The DOH must ensure funding is spread evenly and fairly across both Acute Hospitals in the Southern Trust: Daisy Hill, Newry and Craigavon Hospital.

To reduce harmful impacts please do the following:

Action 1: As Newry & Mourne LGD has always had the highest Locality/LGD population in the Southern Trust, Redirect proposed funding for (1) ‘Newry Community Treatment Centre’ (c£88.3 million) and (2) ‘additional bed capacity at Craigavon’ and use it instead for extra inpatient acute beds in Daisy Hill Hospital and to provide the first stage of a new major specialist acute Area Hospital building in Newry City. This new hospital should be secured for the long term future in Newry as an Acute Area Hospital with 24/7 Level 1 ED, ICU and permanent major diagnostic equipment, (essential for retention of specialist clinical staff).

Action 2: Carry out an accurate assessment of the needs of the population to make sure there is equality of TIMELY access to acute inpatient hospital services provided in the Southern Trust area. The population of 161,308 people on Doctors Registers in Newry & District (DoH 2023) need guarantees there will be proper long term investment in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry.

Action 3: The Southern Trust should urgently bring back Daisy Hill Hospital 10 bedded High Dependency Unit (HDU) in Newry which was taken away to Craigavon Hospital during the beginning of the pandemic. (Daisy Hill Hospital HDU was identified as essential by Daisy Hill Pathfinder Report in 2017).

Action 4: Use the Funding to restore Emergency Surgery and Acute Stroke beds to Daisy Hill Acute Hospital (DHH), Newry. The Nuffield Trust: March 2023 stated clearly that Hyper Acute Stroke Unit Beds were urgently needed in DHH, but Southern Trust still need to ask the DOH for funding for these beds in their business plans.

Q4c. Are there any other comments you would like to make in regard to this EQIA or the consultation process generally?

Re Rural Needs Assessment: Under the Rural Needs Act it is the duty of the Department to ensure that the social and economic needs of the Newry Mourne and Down area is looked after. The economic prosperity of rural areas depends on employment opportunities that having a fully functioning specialist Acute Hospital like Daisy Hill brings. Newry is the gateway to NI and there must be a major Area acute hospital with 24/7 Level 1 ED to provide for road, farm, school, and work accidents etc this must be considered and can’t be ignored.

Re Rural Impact: pg 8 EQIA states page: ‘Trusts may have to consider implementing measures with high and catastrophic impact on a range of services which will undoubtedly have direct patient consequences.’ But in the Southern Trust it is only the mainly rural population of Newry Mourne and Down that will be disadvantaged.

Response to DOH Draft Budget 2025-26 Ends here.

Ways to Respond

All responses will be considered as part of the Department of Health funding decisions.

Comments on the Departments 2025-26 Draft Budget Equality Impact Assessment can be submitted by email.

Email: draftbudget25-26response@health-ni.gov.uk

By Email Message

Compose a New Message (or use pen icon)

Put Email Address: draftbudget25-26response@health-ni.gov.uk into the ‘To‘ field of the Email (Recipient)

Write an Email in the normal way – you can type your comments and copy and paste any of these suggested answers as you wish.

Give your name and ask for a reply. Click Send

Links and Background

CONSULTATION LINK

Department of Health NI Consultation: Equality Impact and Rural Needs Impact Assessment of the 2025-26 Budget Outcome – all documents available from the link below:

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-draft-budget-2025-26

Quick Access to Consultation Docs –

Draft Budget 2025-26 – Equality Impact Assessment Adobe PDF (1 MB) https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-01/doh-consultation-draft-budget-25-26-equality-impact-assessment.pdf

Draft Budget 2025-26 – Rural Needs Impact AssessmentAdobe PDF (617 KB) https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-01/doh-consultation-draft-budget-25-26-rural-needs-impact-assessment.pdf

Background:

Population info : NISRA

Population info from Daisy Hill for Life: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/

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.

02.14.24

by Admin 4

Daisy Hill Acute Hospital is the heart of the community – The heart that keeps us alive.

Daisy Hill Acute Hospital -the heart of the community - The heart that keeps us alive. Restore Emergency Surgery to Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry.

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.

Background Links
https://www.newrymournedown.org/council-meeting-minutes

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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07.26.23

by Admin 4

HEALTH BUDGET 2023-24: EQUALITY CHECK – Your Right to Reply & Ask for Funding for New Specialist Acute Hospital in Newry City

In the Dept of Health NI Budget 2023-24 document - Business Plans should have been submitted for the major construction of a New Specialist Acute Hospital development in Newry city– instead of a Community Treatment Centre.

The Department of Health Budget 2023-24 proposes extra bed capacity & equipment for Craigavon Hospital, as a critical capital scheme, but in complete contrast the Budget proposal for Newry city is to start the construction of a Newry Community Treatment and Care Centre, rather than extra bed capacity or equipment at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry.

So why is this Community Treatment and Care Centre for Newry expressed as a Dept. Of Health critical capital priority scheme when Daisy Hill Hospital is not?

The Department of Health cannot commit one penny of funding towards Health and Social care in Newry & Mourne or at Daisy Hill Hospital unless the Southern Trust asks for it by putting it into their Business Plans and submitting to the Department of Health.

As the Southern Trust have NOT asked or proposed any proper funding for Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry in this Budget – We the people need to speak up and ask instead through this Public Consultation.

Based on accurate population plans –as Newry & Mourne LGD has always had the Highest population in the Southern Trust, Business Plans should have been submitted for the major construction of a New Specialist Acute Hospital development in Newry city– instead of a Community Treatment Centre. This is the feedback the Department of Health need to hear.

The Department of Health have asked for Public Feedback on their 2023/24 Budget proposals Equality Impact Assessment Document (Ref 1) We must use this opportunity to get straight to the decision makers, as to how our public money is being spent and its impact on our future health and economic survival.

Rally and another show of strength for Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city 25.06.2023

BUDGET PROPOSALS 2023/4 – HOW IT AFFECTS YOU: THE PROPOSED NEWRY COMMUNITY TREATMENT AND CARE CENTRE – EXPLAINED IN THE TRUST’S OWN WORDS

“The Trust is continuing to progress plans for a Health and Care centre in Newry which will support the shift of Acute services primarily from Daisy Hill Hospital to a community facility.”
Quote above from the Southern Trust Delivery Plan 2018/19 on the new Newry Community Treatment Centre. p97

The Southern Trust Delivery Plan 2018-19 (Ref 2) is available to download from the References and Links section at the end of this article.

NEWRY COMMUNITY TREATMENT CENTRE TO BE PRIVATELY FINANCED AND CONTRACTED OUT FOR 25 YEARS

The Community Treatment and Care centre for Newry proposal first appeared as a plan in the ‘Transforming Your Care’ Health Reform in 2013. This Newry Community Treatment Centre would NOT be financed using public capital funds like those in Portadown or Banbridge, but would instead be funded by the private sector.

The Southern Trust described this finance deal as a: ‘novel/untested type of procurement known as Third Party Development (3PD)’

“The Trust would enter into a contract for the design, build, finance and maintenance of a community treatment and care centre for a term of 25 years.“

As verified from another source, the Strategic Investment Board (Ref 4 in Links list) states :

“Two pathfinder hub schemes (Newry and Lisburn) were identified in 2013 to test the Third Party Development (3PD) approach.”

ORIGINAL PLAN FOR A NEWRY COMMUNITY TREATMENT CENTRE BASED ON MISREPRESENTED POPULATION SIZES

The Southern Trust plan for a new Community Treatment and Care Centre in Newry first appeared c.2013 when it was encouraged by the Health Minister in charge of the ‘Transforming Your Care’ Health Reform. (TYC)

This TYC Health Reform was informed by the Southern Locality Population Plan and Tables which misrepresented the population sizes of the 5 Localities (LGDs) in the Southern Trust area.

In these ‘population plans’ the Newry & Mourne LGD was incorrectly represented as the smallest locality in the Southern Trust, instead of correctly showing it as the Locality (LGD) with the highest population in the Southern Trust and the smaller population of Craigavon LGD population size was enhanced by adding it to Banbridge LGD population. (for details on this – See Ref 3 link at very end of article below).

This population size misrepresentation / error has had implications on funding decisions ever since.

Based on accurate population plans –as Newry & Mourne LGD has always had the highest Locality/LGD population in the Southern Trust, business plans should have been submitted for the major construction of a New Specialist Acute Hospital development in Newry – instead of just proposals to build a privately funded Newry Community Treatment Centre.

Daisy Hill acute Hospital in Newry city has no nearby alternative Hospital and has no alternative support Hospital, unlike Craigavon which has 2 non acute support Hospitals, (Lurgan 2 miles away and South Tyrone).

The population of Craigavon are 20 minutes motorway journey from Belfast and from several major acute hospitals in Belfast city and in nearby Ulster Hospital. Newry city needs its designated acute hospital as well as a Community Treatment Centre just like Craigavon in Portadown.

EQUALITY CHECKS FOR THESE BUDGET PROPOSALS – THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE

You can use your democratic right to express your opinions on how the money is spent by taking part in this consultation on the Budget Equality Document.

If you want to give your views on how the Department of Health here proposes to spend your hard earned Public Money on Health Services and where these future services exist, contributing to health, the economy and job prospects both medical and construction and all associated jobs linked to a hospital – this is your chance.

Time for Investment for Newry & District 2023

This Department of Health Budget EQIA 2023-24 which proposes extra bed capacity & equipment for Craigavon Hospital, should also have had equivalent funding for a new Specialist Acute Hospital building for Newry city, for its large population to keep in line with Equality and Rural Needs Legislation. This important Budget Consultation is open until Monday 14th August 2023.

Short Suggested Answers to this Consultation (along with reasons) will be presented on Daisy for Life on facebook and on this website very very soon at https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/posts/

Liking and Sharing these posts can help support the campaign. Thank you.

REFERENCES AND LINKS

CONSULTATION LINK

Ref 1: Link to the Department of Health NI Consultation: Equality Impact Assessment of the 2023-24 Budget Outcome:

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/consultations/equality-impact-assessment-2023-24-budget-outcome

Click to access doh-budget-eqia-cons.pdf

Ref 2: The Southern Trust Delivery Plan 2018-19, See p97 Click on the Download button below:

item-09-03-southern-trust-tdp-2018-19-copy-1 Download

POPULATION INFO LINK

Ref 3 : For important info on Misrepresented population LGD sizes in the Southern Trust area at :

https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2023/07/01/playing-with-numbers-playing-with-peoples-lives/

NEWRY COMMUNITY TREATMENT CENTRE TO BE 3PD (THIRD PARTY /PRIVATELY DEVELOPED) LINK

Ref 4: The Strategic Investment Board’s website describes the plan that the Newry Community Treatment Centre would be funded as a third party development: “Two pathfinder hub schemes (Newry and Lisburn) were identified in 2013 to test the Third Party Development (3PD) approach” Read the full article from this link: Strategic Investment Board NI -project -3pd-primary-and-community-care-programme/

Daisy Hill Acute Hospital Emergency Department serves the entire area of Newry and Mourne and South Armagh the largest popultation in the Southern Trust

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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07.13.23

by Admin 4

MONEY! MONEY! PUBLIC MONEY!

Nearly 945 Million Pounds for the whole of the Southern Trust in 2021-2. Nearly How much of this c. £945 million was spent on Specialist Acute Inpatient Services and Emergency Services in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry in 2021 -2022?

Hospital services are paid for with public money – funded by your Regional rates, Taxes and National Insurance Contributions. In 2021/22 The Southern Trust had an income of £944,707,000* (nearly £945 million). Management costs were £29,092,000* (c £29.1 million).

>How much of this c. £945 million was spent on Specialist Acute Inpatient Services and Emergency Services in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry in 2021 -2022?

>How much of this c. £945 million was spent on Specialist Acute Inpatient Services and Emergency Services in Craigavon Hospital in 2021 -2022?

>Are Newry & Mourne population (the largest LGD /locality population in the Southern Trust) getting VALUE FOR MONEY?

Redress the unbalanced NI Stroke Consultation 2019 - additional Options needed to include the Excluded populations.

There are TWO Government designated Acute Hospitals in the Southern Trust – the longest established is Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry city which is situated in the Newry & Mourne LGD –CONSISTENTLY THE HIGHEST LOCALITY/LGD population in the Southern Trust.

Newry & Mourne, South Armagh Acute Area Hospital at Daisy Hill, in Newry city — Graphic by Daisy Hill for life

The second Acute Hospital is Craigavon Hospital in Portadown (situated in Craigavon LGD -the second largest locality population in the Southern Trust area, where Newry & Mourne LGD is the highest population)

CRAIGAVON HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT PRIORITISED AGAIN (p43 OF SOUTHERN TRUST LATEST ANNUAL REPORT)

The Southern Trust Annual Report & Accounts 2021-22 gives information on how much is being spent overall in the Southern Trust – but the public need to know that the money is being spent FAIRLY across its acute hospitals according to population size/need.

The public need to know this especially because Craigavon Hospital redevelopment once again gets prioritized in the Southern Trust 10 year Capital Long term Expenditure Plans (p43) but despite the long overdue population-based need and requirement in Newry & Mourne –there is NO MENTION of Long Term Expenditure Plans for the Redevelopment of Daisy Hill Hospital , Newry city, in this same 10 year review of capital priorities statement, as shown quoted below:

“as part of a 10 year review of capital priorities, the Southern HSC Trust has identified a need for investment in excess of some £430m. THIS INCLUDES REDEVELOPMENT OF CRAIGAVON AREA HOSPITAL together with much needed infrastructure, backlog maintenance and diagnostic equipment requirements.”
Southern Trust Annual Report & Accounts 2021-22 p43

This Southern Trust Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 can be accessed and read in full from the link at the end of the article under Background and References.

IMPORTANT: WHCH LOCALITIES (LGDs) ARE INCLUDED IN THE SOUTHERN TRUST AREA?

IN LEGAL TERMS the Southern Trust area includes ONLY 5 (former) LGDs of (1) Newry & Mourne, (2) Craigavon, (3) Armagh, (4)Dungannon and (5) Banbridge. (Ref: Establishment Order 2006)

The 2006 Order also makes it very clear that accommodation and services should be provided in each of six named hospitals, with addresses, including Daisy Hill, Newry. It does not say all hospital accommodation and services should be centralised to Craigavon only as the Southern Trust are determined to do.

The operational area of the Southern Trust is NOT Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon; Mid-Ulster; and Newry, Mourne and Down council – This Southern Trust Annual Report has got this wrong on the Southern Trust operational area on p9 of the Southern Trust Annual Report & Accounts 2021/22.

Important:

In Legislation ‘Down’ is in the operational area of the South Eastern Trust and ‘Mid Ulster’ (Cookstown and Magherafelt) are in the Northern Trust.

HEALTH SERVICES COMMISSIONING

The number of people living within a locality (LGD) and assessed population need is supposed to be the primary factor when commissioning health Services so as Newry & Mourne LGD is the highest locality population in the Southern Trust – this should also be reflected in the funding spent on Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry and its Specialist Acute Inpatient services and Emergency services.

Time for Investment in Newry and Mourne LGD's acute Hospital Daisy Hill

Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry was designated in its own right one of the 9 major Acute Hospitals in NI since 2003 (as part of Developing Better Services). As such it is entitled to funding for a fully functioning acute hospital with 24/7 Consultant Led Accident and Emergency Services and 24 /7 Consultant Led Maternity Services.

It was not designated as a ‘support or local hospital’ to Craigavon (as the Southern Trust nominated it to be in 2010) or designated just as a regional elective centre as has been decided without any form of Consultation WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING FOR a fully functioning acute hospital.

Newry & Mourne LGD needs re-imbursement for Hospital funding due to population plan errors in the Southern Trust area > For vitally important information and explanation why Daisy Hill, Newry requires this re-imbursement for Hospital funding due to crucial errors -see the Daisy Hill for Life website – by clicking on the picture LINK below:

PLAYING WITH NUMBERS, PLAYING WITH PEOPLE’S LIVES

BACKGROUND AND REFERENCE

(* Source: Southern Trust SHSCT Annual Report & Accounts 2021-22 for the year ended 31 March 2022 (pg 115, 43, 9)
Link below: https://southerntrust.hscni.net/about-us/annual-reports/

Information on this and other similar topics is also available at the companion Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife/ Pls Share and Like posts to show your support and please Follow or Like the Page to receive updates. Thank you.

You may also be interested in other posts on Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city, like: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2022/02/28/daisy-hill-hospital-newry-is-one-of-the-nine-major-acute-hospitals-in-the-regional-network-designated-in-2003-like-antrim-ulster-etc/

02.28.22

by Admin 4

Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry is one of the 9 Major Acute Hospitals in the Regional Network, designated in 2003 like Antrim, Ulster, etc

Newry & Mourne, South Armagh Area Acute Hospital at Daisy Hill, in Newry city

Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry earned the right to be recognised as a Major functioning Acute Hospital because it was designated in 2003 as one of the nine Major Acute Hospitals, in its own right, like Antrim, Ulster, the Royal Group, etc. These nine acute hospitals were designated to provide 24/7 vital life saving Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medical Care to the population of NI no matter where they choose to live. (Ref 1*)

The population size of Newry & Mourne has consistently been the largest Locality in the Southern Trust operational area and the population needs Emergency Surgery in their Type 1 Emergency Department at Daisy Hill, Newry city. (Ref 2)

Since Famine times (1840’s) Newry’s Area Hospital and its compassionate staff have provided an open door to Emergency or Unscheduled care to everyone who went to there for help.

Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry City –the Acute Area Hospital for Newry & Mourne, South Armagh

But now in February 2022, the Southern Health and Social Care Trust are withdrawing vital life saving Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill Hospital Newry City, again without Public Consultation, or adhering to statutory duties imposed on Health Trusts by Section 75 of the NI Act 1998. They are yet again citing Southern Trust recruitment problems as the reason.

Firstly in 2016 they said they couldn’t get any consultants to replace the consultant who was retiring. The Health Minister at the time fairly agreed to fund Locums to keep the Emergency Department up and running until permanent consultants were recruited.

Since 2016, the Southern Trust, without going to any Public Consultation, have used their own recruitment problems as an excuse to avoid carrying out their Statutory function to Provide Hospital Accommodation and Services in the 24/7 Emergency Surgical and /or Emergency Medical Department in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry City.

In March 2020 The Southern Trust – the only Health Trust in NI to shut down a Type1 Acute Hospital vital life saving Emergency Department for 7 months, refused to keep the doors of Daisy Hill open to provide Emergency Surgery, Emergency Medical and Respiratory Care in Daisy Hill, Newry City, when it was needed most by the Newry & Mourne population of 106,813 people, including 28,116 under 18s at the beginning of the Covid Pandemic.

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust stated that Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medical and Respiratory Care for the whole Southern Trust population would only be provided in Craigavon, leaving Newry, South Down and South Armagh without any Emergency Surgical, Emergency Medical, or Respiratory Care for children or adults alike, while Craigavon would have 2 EDs for adults and 1 new ED for Children.

Covid 19 does not excuse them from Screening and Equality Impact Assessments.

The Southern Trust are required under Section 75 of the 1998 NI Act to address the impact their decision to remove Emergency Surgery will have on people of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status, sexual orientation, men and women generally, people who are disabled and those who are not and people who have dependants and those without in the Newry & Mourne – South Down and South Armagh area. (Ref: 3)

The three good relations categories are people of different religious belief, political opinion, and racial group. (Ref 4)

FUNCTION OF THE SOUTHERN HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES TRUST

The Southern Trust needs to stop looking for ways to centralise Emergency Services to Craigavon and provide more – (not less) beds, equipment, more medical staff, and bring Daisy Hill (Newry, South Down and South Armagh Area Hospital up to state of the art modern building standards with its fair share of capital expenditure investment as they are constantly doing in Craigavon.

They need to acknowledge and comply with their Functions clearly set out in the Southern Health and Social Services Trust 2006 Establishment Order (Ref 5)

which are:-

2(a)”to provide hospital accommodation and services at Craigavon Area Hospital, Craigavon, Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, Longstone Hospital, Armagh, Lurgan Hospital, Lurgan, Mullinure Hospital, Armagh, St Luke’s Hospital, Armagh, and South Tyrone Hospital, Dungannon, and associated premises;
Southern Health and Social Services Trust 2006 Establishment Order

The Southern Trust Establishment Order does not give them the right to WITHDRAW accommodation (beds) or services (including staff) from Daisy Hill hospital.

If the Southern Trust want to take away vital life saving Emergency Surgery services which have been there for over 100 years, then they need to have a better excuse than their own inability to recruit medics.

And if the Southern Trust are genuinely concerned about their inability to recruit medics then they can recruit general surgery Locums for Daisy Hill like they are recruiting for Craigavon Hospital.

( BACKGROUND)

Ref 1 * Developing Better Services 2003, Department of Health NI

*Please Note: There are now 10 ten acute hospitals -as it was shown that the New South West Hospital in Enniskillen was also needed. (See also: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2017/08/17/daisy-hill-hospital-an-acutely-important-fact/

and https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2022/02/07/newry-citys-acute-hospital-daisy-hill-is-entitled-to-its-rightful-place-in-the-ni-type-1-acute-hospital-regional-network/

Ref 2: See Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency NISRA Tables at ; https://www.nisra.gov.uk/

Ref 3: https://www.equalityni.org/ECNI/media/ECNI/Publications/Individuals/Leaflet-KnowYourRights.pdf

Ref 4: https://www.equalityni.org/ECNI/media/ECNI/Publications/Employers%20and%20Service%20Providers/Public%20Authorities/Good_Relations_Public-Authorities-Summary_Guide.pdf

Ref 5: Southern Health and Social Services Trust (Establishment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2006

Southern Health and Social Services Trust (Establishment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2006

Nature and functions of the trust:

2(a) to provide hospital accommodation and services at:

Craigavon Area Hospital, 68 Lurgan Road, Portadown, Craigavon BT63 5QQ,

Daisy Hill Hospital, 5 Hospital Road, Newry, BT35 8DR,

Longstone Hospital, 73 Loughgall Road, Armagh BT61 7PR,

Lurgan Hospital, Sloan Street, Lurgan, Co Armagh BT66 8NS,

Mullinure Hospital, Loughall Road, Armagh BT61 7NN,

St Luke’s Hospital, 71 Loughgall Road, Armagh, BT61 7NQ,

South Tyrone Hospital, Carland Road, Dungannon BT71 4AU, and associated premises;

(b) to provide community based health and personal social services from the trust headquarters and associated premises; and

(c) to exercise, on behalf of Health and Social Services Boards, such relevant functions as are so exercisable by the trust by virtue of authorisations for the time being in operation under Article 3(1) of the Health and Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1994
Southern Health and Social Services Trust (Establishment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2006

Daisy Hill Emergency Department served 53555+ people in 2016 - banner

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BUDGET PROPOSALS 2023/4 – HOW IT AFFECTS YOU: THE PROPOSED NEWRY COMMUNITY TREATMENT AND CARE CENTRE – EXPLAINED IN THE TRUST’S OWN WORDS

NEWRY COMMUNITY TREATMENT CENTRE TO BE PRIVATELY FINANCED AND CONTRACTED OUT FOR 25 YEARS

ORIGINAL PLAN FOR A NEWRY COMMUNITY TREATMENT CENTRE BASED ON MISREPRESENTED POPULATION SIZES

EQUALITY CHECKS FOR THESE BUDGET PROPOSALS – THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE

REFERENCES AND LINKS

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CRAIGAVON HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT PRIORITISED AGAIN (p43 OF SOUTHERN TRUST LATEST ANNUAL REPORT)

IMPORTANT: WHCH LOCALITIES (LGDs) ARE INCLUDED IN THE SOUTHERN TRUST AREA?

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