Tag Archives: save Daisy Hill Hospital Campaign

04.02.17
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Daisy Hill Acute Hospital Emergency department in the news

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

The function of the Southern Trust is: ‘TO PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION AND SERVICES IN DAISY HILL HOSPITAL, ARMAGH HOSPITAL, SOUTH TYRONE HOSPITAL AND CRAIGAVON HOSPITAL’ (under the 2006 Establishment Order.) The SHSCT are paid £20 million per year of our public money and have 1,600+ admin staff to do this.

The Southern Trust have landed us with a very serious problem – by proposing that they may be unable to treat emergency patients in Daisy Hill Emergency Department at night. In response some councillors say they intend to bring an emergency motion to Newry, Mourne and Down Council meeting on Monday 3rd April 2017.

Help defend services at Daisy Hill Hospital

In 2015 the former Newry & Mourne District Council organised an excellent public meeting in Bellinis followed by a March of over 10,000 people

– please lobby all our Councillors to get Newry, Mourne and Down council to hold ANOTHER MEETING for ALL ACUTE SERVICES in DAISY HILL ACUTE HOSPITAL and insist on getting an answer from the HSCB.

Pre-paid Service

The Council ‘set rates’ which go towards paying for hospital services including Emergency services in this area. We are pre-paying for a service that the Southern Trust are now warning they may “temporarily suspend” at night in the Emergency Department with a weak excuse that they cannot get staff.

Equality of Access

For the sake of everyone in our community-including families and children and those who can’t speak up for their rights -we demand 24/7 equality of access to hospital accommodation and services at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital – as is our right. If the Department can find £11.7 million for electrical infrastructure for Craigavon Hospital – they can find funds to staff DHH A&E 24/7.Childrens services must be kept at Daisy Hill Acute hospital, New

Action

As a community we also need to write again to the HSCB and Public Health Authority (PHA) quoting their own information. The booklet given to us at the meetings as part of the Consultation on Criteria for Reconfiguration Health and Social Care Services (pg 23) (link at end of comment to document** )states: The Role of the HSCB is: “as the lead commissioner, the Health and Social Care Board, working with the Public Health Agency, has the primary responsibility for assessing the needs of the population at local and regional level and for setting the strategic direction for services provision in response to those needs.”

Public Involvement in Decision Making

Also page 24 shows the part we can play in this decision making. A direct quote from this document states Under Change or Withdrawal of services: “Personal and Public Involvement: Patients, clients, carers and communities should be at the centre of decision making in health and social care. This means that they must be MEANINGFULLY INVOLVED in the planning, delivery and evaluation of their services.

HSC BODIES are ACCOUNTABLE to people and communities for the quality, ACCESSIBILITY and responsiveness of the services they plan and provide…. the Reform Act places “ A STATUTORY requirement on all HSC bodies to INVOLVE AND CONSULT THE PUBLIC ABOUT PROPOSALS AND DECISIONS in the planning, commissioning and delivery of health and social care services.”(pg 24 Consultation on Criteria for Reconfiguring Health and Social Care Services**: see link below)

In view of this, they are not entitled – in a take it or leave it attitude to tell us they can’t get staff IN NEWRY ONLY and how they are going to spend our public money on hospital services while still continuing to spend our allocated MONEY ON HOSPITAL SERVICES ELSEWHERE. We are entitled to EQUALITY OF ACCESS to 24/7 Emergency Care in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital – we are being given unfavourable treatment in comparison to the people of Craigavon locality who are not being denied 24/7 access to Emergency services.

Newry & Mourne presently has the 4th highest population in NI and will have the 3rd highest population in NI by 2023 after only Belfast and Lisburn. The Health needs of Newry & Mourne Locality (one locality- which includes South Armagh) – the largest population in the Southern Trust can be ignored no longer. We deserve the same hospital services as are provided in Altnagelvin.

The Southern Trust cannot be allowed to wash their hands of their responsibility to provide Emergency Services at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital (at night) – like they did with our responses to the Stroke Consultation. They are not allowed to put people’s lives at risk.

Please share the news with friends, family everyone you know including Councillors, MLAs and MPs.

Daisy Hill Hospital A and E Department is vital for stroke and lif

An Ultimatum with no alternatives?

If Daisy Hill Acute Hospital Emergency Department closes at night – where are we supposed to go? THEY CANNOT GIVE US AN ULTIMATUM WITH NO ALTERNATIVES.

Where are ambulances supposed to bring dying stroke and coronary care patients as well as children and all other emergencies?

How can they possibly close DHH A&E at night when: in 2016 – 53,556 people attended Daisy Hill Acute Hospital Emergency Department. So who is going to treat these emergency patients – men, women, babies and children?

What happens to the people who are waiting in A&E when they close the doors? People will die as a result of this. NO EXCUSES can justify refusing to treat emergency patients (including stroke) WITH NO NEARBY ALTERNATIVE.

Daisy Hill Emergency Department served 53555+ people in 2016 - bannerWaiting Stats in other Emergency Departments

Belfast and Craigavon Hospitals are the nearest Emergency Departments but in 2016- in Craigavon Hospital 26,594 people waited between 5 to 12 hours and 369 people waited over 12 hours to be seen in the Emergency Department so we can’t possibly be expected to go there in pain – particularly at night.

Also, in the year 2016 in the Royal A&E, 32,664 people waited to be seen between 5 to 12 hours and 698 people waited over 12 hours to be seen in the Emergency Department.

For the same year ending Dec 2016 in Antrim Hospital A&E –27,608 people waited between 5 to 12 hours and 1,558 people waited over 12 hours in A&E to be seen .

There is obviously a shortage of A&E staff everywhere but the Southern Trust inexcusably seem to think only the Newry & Mourne Locality can do without emergency services at night.

Daisy Hill Hospital is an acute hospital in Newry

Daisy Hill Hospital – designated Acute hospital in Newry.

Conclusion

Daisy Hill is a designated acute hospital and MUST have an Emergency Department. The Southern Trust will be responsible for creating a serious equality and public safety issue if their latest proposals go ahead.

Please lobby all our Councillors. As the Council is our representative – request that they hold a public meeting and demand answers from the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and the Public Health Authority (PHA) and the Department and insist on getting answers. Thank you for supporting Daisy Hill acute Hospital.

BACKGROUND INFO:

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/…/hsc-reconfiguration-consulta… **(link to info provided at Department of Health Meeting – go to Annex A, p23 and 24, Section 7: Personal and Public Involvement, “HSC bodies are accountable to people and communities for the quality, accessibility and responsiveness of the services they plan and provide….

See newrytimes.com and other press for news of proposed emergency motion at council meeting .

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

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

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

02.26.17
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Official Statistics back up Newry and Mourne’s need for a new Acute hospital in Newry city

Newry+Mourne-Locality-3rd highest-population-in-NI 2023-Nisra

Newry & Mourne Locality has always been the largest of the 5 localities (LGDs) in the Southern Trust and in 2023 will have the 3RD HIGHEST PROJECTED POPULATION IN THE WHOLE OF NI and is entitled to have a functioning ACUTE hospital and a hyper acute stroke unit as in Altnagelvin.

This must be acknowledged by providers in the Planning of new hospitals and existing specialist acute hospital Services as outlined in the Bengoa Report.

Newry & Mourne and South Armagh Citizens, like those elsewhere in Northern Ireland  have already pre- paid for acute hospitals and specialist acute hospital  services through National Insurance, taxes and rates etc. – so every locality (Local Government District) is  entitled to value for money, based on population size and need.

In conclusion – these official population statistics back up Newry and Mourne’s need for a new Acute hospital in Newry city.

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

© Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook and http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com, 2015 – 2022. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com and Daisy Hill for Life with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Thank-you!

01.14.17
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Speak up for Daisy Hill Hospital – 2017

Speak up for Daisy Hill and submit your views to the consultation by 20th Jan 2017

This meeting on Mon 16th Jan in Newry hosted by the Department of Health is the last chance to find out info on the criteria from the Bengoa Report for changing the Health service in NI and its effects on people in Newry & Mourne, before the consultation period closes, 4 days later on 20th January 2017. We should ask for the Consultation period to be extended further than the deadline of 20th January, 2017.

Speak up and Take part in the Dept. of Health consultation to keep specialist services at Daisy Hill Hospital

Speak up and take part in the Dept. of Health meeting and consultation. Consultation closes 20th January 2017

At the Meeting we will hear the Department of Health’s reasons for proposed Centralisation of services. There are proposals to look at the centralisation of the following specialist services: Stroke services, Emergency and Urgent Care (A&E), GP out of hours, general surgery, paediatrics, neo natal services,  obstetrics, rehabilitation, community based elderly care, etc., (see Bengoa Report pg 76)

The decision on the proposed withdrawal of specialist acute stroke and rehabilitation services from Level 6 Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry –  used as the only local case study in the Bengoa Panel was and still is very controversial and should be examined before final approval is given for removal of stroke services . The Department/Health Minister can intervene if a decision to withdraw services is controversial. This can be shown by the following quote showing the Department of Health’s position on change or withdrawal of Services issued November 2014:                                                                                                             

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH POLICY GUIDANCE CIRCULAR :
Change or withdrawal of services– Guidance on Roles and Responsibilities, Intro 2:

“This means there are likely to be occasions when decisions about services, properly arrived at by the relevant Arms Length Body (ALB), will need the final approval of the Department/Minister because they are major or controversial in nature”.

(Annex 1 ,page 23 Health & Wellbeing 2026 Consultation on Criteria for Reconfiguring Health & Social Care Services)

Therefore -they can look again at decisions made by the Southern Trust and Commissioners and see if the information is accurate and then make the final decision.

The Bengoa Panel Report itself, which selected the criteria – highlights the proposed centralisation of stroke services from Daisy Hill hospital to Craigavon as a major Local Case Study of best practice – to be up-scaled throughout NI.  The Bengoa Report Criteria will be used as a guideline for future plans and this is why it is so important for the people of Newry & Mourne to attend this meeting and ask questions. If we do not question it and give our views, at the meeting and in writing- these criteria will be used to centralise services in Newry & Mourne to Craigavon.  This consultation is different to previous ones, as it is the actual Department of Health, led by Health Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA- so we are optimistic that they may actually listen if enough people answer.

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

01.08.17
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Bengoa Report uses the London Stroke Model – does it give N.Ireland the full picture?

The Bengoa Report uses the London Stroke Model as an example of international good practice, but by only mentioning the 8 Hyper acute stroke units and ignoring the rest of the local stroke services network in London – is N.Ireland getting the full picture?

The diagram shows there are 31 Stroke Units in London including 8 ‘Hyper acute’ stroke units (HASUs) following reconfiguration of stroke services.

The diagram shows there are 31 Stroke Units in London including 8 ‘Hyper acute’ stroke units (HASUs) following reconfiguration of stroke services.

The International Level Case Study in the Bengoa Panel Report (pg 72) would seem to imply that all the 30 stroke units in London were centralised to only 8 hyper acute stroke units.  As the diagram shows- there is a network of 31 Stroke Units remaining in London including 8 ‘Hyper acute’ stroke units (HASUs) following reconfiguration of stroke services.

It was never intended that ‘Hyper Acute’ Stroke Units in London should work in isolation from the other 23 existing dedicated local stroke units providing stroke services. The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme for 2016 shows there is a total of 628 stroke beds in all 31 stroke units in London.

According to the London Stroke Model HYPER ACUTE STROKE UNITS (HASUs) ARE ONLY FOR THE FIRST 72 HOURS OF STROKE CARE – that is why a network of dedicated local stroke units as well as the 8 Hyper Acute stroke units were needed in London.

Confirmation the Southern Trust have proposed the creation of a’ hyper-acute’ stroke unit can be seen in the following extract from a 27th October 2014 press statement:

“The Trust’s proposals are:

  1. The modernisation of in-patient acute and rehabilitation Stroke Services, which are currently provided at Lurgan, Loane House (South Tyrone Hospital) Daisy Hill and Craigavon Area Hospitals. The Trust is proposing the development of a ‘hyper-acute’ stroke unit at Craigavon Area Hospital…..”*.

The Southern Trust’s proposal to have only one ‘Hyper Acute’ Stroke Unit in Craigavon locality with no network of dedicated local stroke units in Newry or Dungannon is in COMPLETE CONTRAST to the London Stroke Model.

If the London Stroke Model is followed correctly by the Southern Trust for safe stroke care –TWO ‘hyper acute’ stroke units – one in Newry City’s Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, and one in Craigavon Hospital – attached to the already existing stroke units are needed. Only this proposal would give ALL THE POPULATION of the Southern Trust the same EQUALITY OF ACCESS to a network of stroke services (both ‘hyper acute’ and dedicated local acute rehabilitation stroke services) as there exists in London.

The criteria evolving from this Bengoa Report is the subject being addressed by the Department of Health in a series of public meetings around Northern Ireland before the current health Consultation on the criteria closes on 20th January 2017.  The meeting in Newry will take place on Monday 16th January in the Newry Conferencing and Banqueting Centre, 39-41 The Mall Newry from 7 -9 pm.

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

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06.26.16
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GOOD NEWS FOR DAISY HILL HOSPITAL?

“We have just recently secured 16 doctors to come and work in the Southern Trust.”  announced Southern Trust interim Chief Executive Francis Rice to the NI Assembly Health Committee on 16 June 2016.

The full minutes of the Health Committee meeting are available at Committee for Health, meeting on Thursday, 16 June 2016 Official Report minutes of evidence

The document can also be downloaded as a PDF from the NI Assembly Hansard Health Committee meeting minutes page (Thursday 16 June 2016) Briefing by Health and Social Care Trusts, Quote on page 10 of pdf).http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/officialreport/minutesofevidence.aspx?&cid=10

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09.06.15
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Speak out to save children’s and older people services at Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry

peak out for childrens and older peoples services at Daisy Hill

Speak out for children’s and older peoples services at Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry

Childrens services must be kept at Daisy Hill Acute hospital, New Older peoples services must be kept at Daisy Hill acute hospital, Newry

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

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

09.02.15
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Background info on why Daisy Hill is an Acute Hospital.

Daisy Hill Hospital is an acute hospital to provide a Seamless web of care with the NI hospital network

Graphic by Daisy Hill for life

DAISY HILL Acute Hospital, Newry was 1 of the 9 acute hospitals chosen, with EQUAL status to provide ACUTE hospital services in the “South” of Northern Ireland* in 2003 when a new pattern of Acute Hospital Services was established. (‘Developing Better Services’) This configuration of 9 Acute hospitals was made in order to give choice and equity of access ”in a seamless web of Acute hospital care” to the whole population of Northern Ireland. It was a direct result of a very detailed and thorough investigation (initiated by Health Minister Barbara de Brun), & finalised by Direct Rule Minister Des Browne.
The Southern Trust is NOT entitled to re-designate Daisy Hill Acute Hospital Newry to the status of a “support” hospital to Craigavon Hospital as they did in their Outline Business Case for Daisy Hill Hospital approved in March 2010.
The importance of ‘Developing Better Services’ designation of Acute Hospitals is still used successfully as a lever to get funding for redevelopment of Craigavon Hospital by the Southern Trust. (eg CAH Business case for Redevelopment of Theatres 1-4, etc).
*source pg 14, Ministerial statement, Developing Better Services 2003

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

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

08.18.15
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Access to hospital services

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

Infographic by Daisy Hill for Life

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

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

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07.27.15
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Southern Trust is the second largest Health Trust in N.I.

We need 2 acute hospitals of equal status -Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry and Craigavon Hospital, Portadown to provide accessible hospital services for the whole population of the Southern Trust.

Daisy Hill Hospital has been designated as an ACUTE hospital since 2003, it is not a district hospital (as described in job adverts) and not designated as a support hospital for Craigavon hospital, Portadown.

As the Southern Trust is the second largest Health Trust in Northern Ireland, we need two acute hospitals of equal status -Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry and Craigavon Hospital, Portadown to provide accessible hospital services for the whole population of the Southern Trust.

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

Act Now for Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry

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

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

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

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

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

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