UPDATED 23.02.2025.
New Shorter Suggested answers to read or use with official Department of Health ONLINE Consultation Questionnaire for ‘Hospitals – Creating a Network for Better Outcomes’
(Full Consultation Information is available from the Background / Links section at the end of the page.)
Click on the LINK below to go to the Webpage to make an Online Response to the Department of Health Public Consultation: ‘Hospitals – Creating a Network for better outcomes’
https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/doh-1/hospitals-creating-a-network-for-better-outcomes/
Note: You don’t have to answer the Extra Comment Questions in the ONLINE Questionnaire, you can just select the STRONGLY DISAGREE buttons etc and click Continue to go on to the next Question – but to help make the case why Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry should not be downgraded and is entitled to be made into an AREA HOSPITAL, Shorter suggested answers are available here, which can be copied and pasted onto the Questionnaire as required.
If you only give an answer explanation to one Question, please ANSWER the ONLINE Q10 (which asks what this DOH Hospital Network Consultation has missed) and please state the need that Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry is entitled to be made into an Area Hospital. (Answer Available below)
NEW SHORTER READY REFERENCE SUGGESTED ANSWERS (ONLINE )
READY REFERENCE SUGGESTED ANSWERS (ONLINE Qs 1- 19) for DOH ONLINE Consultation Questionnaire for ‘Hospitals – Creating a Network for Better Outcomes’
Questions are numbered Q.1 – Q.19 on the Online Survey Version of Questionnaire (Different no’s to the Word Document version of the Questionnaire)
ONLINE Q1. What is your name?
ONLINE Q2. What is your email address?
ONLINE Q3. Are you responding as an individual or on behalf of an organisation, please highlight the most relevant option:
(Choose your own answer from the list of – Member of the general public / Service user/ Family carer / Social care worker/ Social worker etc or Voluntary & Community sector option and so on.)
ONLINE Q4. If you selected ‘Other’ Please specify the name of the Organisation, Voluntary & Community sector, Private Company or Public Body:
ONLINE Q5. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the explanation within the framework of why we need to change how our hospitals function?
Answer Q5. STRONGLY DISAGREE
ONLINE Q6. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the description of the type of Northern Ireland hospitals as presented in the framework that build towards a Hospital Network? These are: Local Hospitals, Area Hospitals, General Hospitals and Regional Centres. Note: The detailed description each type of hospital is on page 4 of the consultation document.
Answer Q6 STRONGLY DISAGREE
ONLINE Q7 To what extent do you agree or disagree with the ‘core services’ identified for the different types of hospitals, especially for the area hospitals and three general hospitals?
Answer Q7. STRONGLY DISAGREE
ONLINE Q8 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the proposed list of actions identified in the framework are the correct ones to create a more sustainable hospital network in Northern Ireland?
Answer Q8. STRONGLY DISAGREE
ONLINE Q9 Taking into account the proposals set out in the framework and the answers you have provided above; do you think there is anything we have missed?
ANSWER Q9 YES
ONLINE Q.10 If your answer is Yes, please provide further detail and explanation below:
ONLINE Q. 10 ANSWER
Based on actual population data and other factors Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry should have been made into an ‘Area Hospital’ and not a ‘General Hospital.’ For example: Population Fact 1: Of the 17 GP Federations in NI, Newry & District has the 2nd highest number of patients (161,308) registered with GP Federations after only Derry, since 2017. (Source: DOH 2023/24).
This Consultation does not value the importance of the need for TIMELY access to ‘Accident & Emergency’ treatment where every minute counts (which includes for Stroke, Heart and Emergency Surgery) as well as accident victims in comparison to accessing ‘non emergency’ treatment like elective care.
ONLINE Q.11 To what extent to do you agree or disagree that the proposed list of actions in the framework will improve the experience and outcomes for service users in Northern Ireland?
Answer Q11. STRONGLY DISAGREE
ONLINE Q12. To what extent to do you agree or disagree that the framework explains how reconfiguration decisions are taken?
Answer Q12. STRONGLY DISAGREE
ONLINE Q13. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the framework explains how you will be engaged as part of the decision making process?
Answer Q13. STRONGLY DISAGREE
ONLINE Q14. Please explain the reason for your answer and provide any additional comments below –
**You do not have to give an answer here unless you want to add something
ONLINE Q15. Taking into account the answers you have provided; if you have any further comments on any aspect of this framework or the proposed actions please include below.
Answer ONLINE Q15.
If the hospital network is to be changed with ‘Area Hospitals’ at the heart of the system, then based on the health needs of Newry & Mourne Area which has had a consistently high population since 1971 to present – Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry now located in the 3rd largest council in NI (Newry Mourne and Down) should be enhanced to be a ‘Area Hospital’ and maintain “a 24/7 Emergency Department, a 24/7 Emergency surgery and anaesthetic rota and theatre, and be supported by a critical care unit”.
Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry should also have secured for the LONG TERM future the same broad range of specialist inpatient services as the ‘Area Hospitals’ described in this consultation including Paediatrics and Obstetrics.
(Newry Mourne and Down Council has a current population of approx 182,634 (NISRA 2022)
Equality and Rural Needs Assessments
ONLINE Q16. A) Do you agree or disagree with the Draft Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA)?
Answer Q16: FULLY DISAGREE
ONLINE Q17. Please provide comments below:
ANSWER -ONLINE Q. 17:
I fully disagree. These proposals and mitigating actions’ are not just or fair and will not deliver ‘health care equity’ across NI. According to this Equality document, ‘Travel support’ will be needed for most of the named Equality groups to access this new hospital network, so these proposals don’t keep to Equality rules or Human Rights. Responsibilities for accessing timely ‘Emergency’ treatment (which includes Emergency surgery) services are bypassed onto other external department’s including the Department for Infrastructure (Transport ) Also ‘Good Relations’ between communities / councils across NI will not be fostered under these proposals.
There are serious concerns regarding ‘healthcare equity’ for the population in Newry Mourne and Down (NMD). Under these consultation proposals, the population of Newry Mourne and Down will NOT have timely access to 24/7 INPATIENT Emergency Care TREATMENT. The Department of Health and others have a duty of care to continue to provide a Specialist Acute Hospital in Newry, with inpatient beds, specialist inpatient Services and 24/7 Consultant Led Emergency surgery and Emergency Medical services based on a Population Needs Assessment. This will ensure equitable access to specialist Acute Hospital services for the growing population in Newry Mourne and Down LGD – the 3rd largest LGD population in NI: current population approx 182,634 (NISRA 2022).
ONLINE Q18 B) Do you agree or disagree with the Draft Rural Needs Impact Assessment?
ANSWER Q18 b) FULLY DISAGREE
ONLINE Q. 19: SUGGESTED ANSWER
I fully disagree with the Draft Rural Needs Impact Assessment as these proposals will create worse health outcomes for all rural populations. Approx 36%* population of NI live in a rural area including in Newry Mourne and Down (NISRA 2020*). As the meaning of equity is ‘something that is just and fair’, this policy will not improve ‘healthcare equity’ as it aims to do, as rural residents in NI will NOT be able to “access TIMELY, high-quality care.”
Under the 2016 Rural Needs Act, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Dept of Health have a duty of care to make sure the health and economic needs of the rural community are fully met and are entitled to be included, not deprived of the economic prosperity that being included in an Area hospital Network brings.
The Rural Impact document (page 4) has completely ignored the impact the proposals would have on Jobs, Employment, Education, Training, Poverty, and Deprivation in Rural Areas and Rural Development.
The location of the 5 proposed ‘Area Hospitals’ all with 24/7 Level 1 ED (Altnagelvin, Antrim, Craigavon, Belfast Hospitals Campus and Ulster Hospital) are concentrated within half hour of Belfast, and in Derry. Only the population in these urban areas will have TIMELY access to 24/7 Level 1 Consultant Led INPATIENT EMERGENCY CARE TREATMENT, the rural areas will NOT have TIMELY access.
Section 75 Equality Questions (optional) ONLINE Q 20 – 28 (These are Optional but you have to either select ‘Prefer not to say’ option or choose an answer to continue.
END OF QUESTIONS
****
QUICK SUMMARY
Online Q1-4 Personal Information
Online Q5-8 STRONGLY DISAGREE
Online Q9. YES
Online Q10 Add Comments if you want – see Suggested Answers above
Online Q11-13 STRONGLY DISAGREE
Online Q14 & 15. Add Comments if you want – see Suggested Answers above.
Online Q16 STRONGLY DISAGREE (Equality Impact Assessment)
Online Q17 Add Comments if you want – see Suggested Answers above.
Online Q18 STRONGLY DISAGREE (Rural Needs Impact Assessment)
Online Q19 Add Comments if you want – see Suggested Answers above.
ONLINE Q 20 – 28 Section 75 Equality Questions (optional)
20. Religious belief
21. Political opinion
22. Race
23.Gender
24.Marital status
25. Age bracket
26. Disability
27. Dependants
28. Sexual Orientation
(These are Optional but you have to either Select your answers for these or select ‘Prefer not to say’ option to continue.
END OF QUICK SUMMARY
The Consultation Closes on Friday 28th February at 5pm.
BACKGROUND / LINKS
LINK ********DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ONLINE CONSULTATION LINK – CLICK BELOW
https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/doh-1/hospitals-creating-a-network-for-better-outcomes/
The link below 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.
Extra info / Downloads
For your convenience, these Answers in this article can be read by downloading a handy Ready Ref Sheet – Word Document ‘V8 Shorter Ready Ref Answers Sheet for ONLINE Q’s DOH’ file below.
OR
For people who prefer to Email a seperate copy of the Questionnaire via Email – an updated version of the Full Questionnaire is available to download below. (You will need to add your own Answers to the Personal Details Questions at the beginning – please see further reading for more info)
ALTERNATIVE MICROSOFT WORD VERSION of Full Questionnaire (Prefilled – Short Answers) for Emailing
For more Information about this Consultation and How to Take Part – see links below.
Thank you. Please Share if you think this will help someone else take part in this very important Consultation for the future of Daisy Hill Hospital and its dedicated staff.
Further Reading
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