As 2023 draws to a close, we thought it fitting to remember a very special stand out event from the Daisy Hill Hospital Campaign in 2023 – by returning to the SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee Public Rally in Newry on 25 June 2023 to feature some of the speeches spoken from the platform.
Over 10,000 men, women and children came out to support SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee by gathering in Marcus Square for speeches and then a people’s march up to Daisy Hill Hospital, applause for the staff and a walk right around the hospital complex to form a “ring of steel” of people.
A number of excellent speakers spoke to the assembled crowd at the Rally in Marcus Square, and audio of three of the speakers is available here – Pls click on the links to listen:
Francis Gallagher Chairperson of SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee
Tanya Killen President of NIPSA (Northern Ireland Public Service Association)
Deborah Yapicioz UNISON
Eddy Curtis SOS Daisy Hill HospitalCommittee
As we remember that day and listen to some of the available inspirational speeches, is a reminder of the enthusiasm, strength of feeling and determination that exists in the community and beyond to continue to challenge unfair decisions like the removal of core emergency services and beds and the failure of the Southern Trust and others to properly invest, plan or recruit for Daisy Hill Acute Area Hospital, Newry.
The words and actions of this Public Rally in June encourage us to look forward with positivity and with determination for the future of Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in 2024.
Summed up by Mr Eddy Curtis from SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee from the Rally platform that day, here are some extracts from his speech:
“We have to continue battling and fighting and putting our best foot forward – to say the people of Newry & Mourne and South Armagh will not accept anything less than an international quality of health that you deserve.
We are asking all families and their children to lead the parade, because at the end of the day – they are the future of our region and they are the people who are going to need health services.
We are going to walk right round the hospital – to put a ring of steel on it and let them see– it’s ours – you cannot touch it – you have to invest in it.”
Eddy Curtis (SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee)
Population info
GP registers in NI : Newry & District has 160,615 patients (2nd highest in NI (after only Derry), including the 2nd highest number of children in NI under 18, with (36,228 ) (Source DOH 2023)
Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com (Daisy Hill Hospital for Life) and Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Thank-you! We welcome sharing.
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As 2023 draws to a close, we thought it fitting to remember a very special stand out event from the Daisy Hill Hospital Campaign in 2023 – by returning to the SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee Public Rally in Newry on 25 June 2023 to feature some of the speeches spoken from the platform.
Over 10,000 men, women and children came out to support SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee by gathering in Marcus Square for speeches and then a people’s march up to Daisy Hill Hospital, applause for the staff and a walk right around the hospital complex to form a “ring of steel” of people.
A number of excellent speakers spoke to the assembled crowd at the Rally in Marcus Square, and audio of three of the speakers is available here – Pls click on the links to listen:
Francis Gallagher Chairperson of SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee
Tanya Killen President of NIPSA (Northern Ireland Public Service Association)
Deborah Yapicioz UNISON
Eddy Curtis SOS Daisy Hill HospitalCommittee
As we remember that day and listen to some of the available inspirational speeches, is a reminder of the enthusiasm, strength of feeling and determination that exists in the community and beyond to continue to challenge unfair decisions like the removal of core emergency services and beds and the failure of the Southern Trust and others to properly invest, plan or recruit for Daisy Hill Acute Area Hospital, Newry.
The words and actions of this Public Rally in June encourage us to look forward with positivity and with determination for the future of Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in 2024.
Summed up by Mr Eddy Curtis from SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee from the Rally platform that day, here are some extracts from his speech:
“We have to continue battling and fighting and putting our best foot forward – to say the people of Newry & Mourne and South Armagh will not accept anything less than an international quality of health that you deserve.
We are asking all families and their children to lead the parade, because at the end of the day – they are the future of our region and they are the people who are going to need health services.
We are going to walk right round the hospital – to put a ring of steel on it and let them see– it’s ours – you cannot touch it – you have to invest in it.”
Eddy Curtis (SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee)
Population info
GP registers in NI : Newry & District has 160,615 patients (2nd highest in NI (after only Derry), including the 2nd highest number of children in NI under 18, with (36,228 ) (Source DOH 2023)
Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com (Daisy Hill Hospital for Life) and Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Thank-you! We welcome sharing.
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The most recent full Department of Health Report, ‘Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together’ brought out by former Health Minister Michelle O’Neill, MLA – stated:
“the Health service belongs to all of us… Everyone who uses and delivers our health and social care services must be treated with respect, listened to and supported to work as real partners within the HSC system.” *
Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together’ p19
When it comes to any decisions made about Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry and any of the Acute Hospitals here in this NI region, these Principles in Delivering Together and the Rules and Procedures around the spending of public money and the statutory accountability of all who deliver and attempt to withdraw Regional Health public services must be followed.
Emergency Surgery and Acute Stroke Services are REGIONAL Services. They cannot be centralised again from a major Acute Hospital like Daisy Hill without a valid Population Needs Assessment and a full Regional Public Consultation by the Department of Health. A local or individual Health Trust Consultation is NOT enough to make a decision to withdraw vital Regional Services like Accident and Emergency Surgical or Medical services from one area of NI which is going to have a detrimental adverse effect on the lives of everyone across the NI region.
FAILURE TO FOLLOW DUE PROCESS MEANS THE DECISIONS ARE INVALID.
The local catchment population are asking for and are entitled to fair treatment and continuing access to acute hospital premises when it comes to the availability of Emergency Surgery and Emergency Stroke services in their acute hospital Daisy Hill, Newry City.
CENTRALISED TO NINE MAJOR ACUTE HOSPITALS IN 2003
In 2003, following the Hayes Review and Regional Consultation, Acute Hospital Provision including 24/7 Consultant Led Accident and Emergency Services and Maternity services were Centralised to nine major acute hospitals. It was recognised by the Department of Health at that time, following the Regional Consultation that the three newly designated acute hospitals in Newry, Enniskillen, and Coleraine, were also needed as well as the so called “Golden Six” to provide timely access to Acute Hospital services as well as ensuring timely access to 24/7 Consultant- Led Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medical Services and Maternity Services to everyone no matter where they choose to live in NI.
All three acute hospitals are situated within predominately rural areas with no nearby acute hospital which can provide timely access to Accident and Emergency and Maternity services.
>FURTHER ACTIONS AND REQUIRED SOLUTIONS
For those wishing to take further action for Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry as a designated Acute Hospital, people can build on the action of the SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee who recently drafted a letter to send to the Southern Trust Chief Executive which expressed opposition to the decisions to remove Emergency Surgery and Acute Stroke services from Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry to Craigavon Hospital.
SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR REQUIRED SOLUTIONS:
The Southern Trust must:
>1. Immediately return vital life saving Regional Emergency Surgery and Regional Acute Stroke Services to Daisy Hill.
>2. Invest properly in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry to ensure the large population in Newry & District is provided for and to fulfil their statutory and legal obligations towards Equality, Human Rights, Rural Needs, Rights of the Child, Good relations and Climate Change regulations.
>3. Return permanently specialist acute inpatient beds to Daisy Hill Hospital
>4. Buy permanent major diagnostic equipment for Daisy Hill Hospital and
>5. Recruit properly for staff for Daisy Hill Hospital and stop prioritising Craigavon and (Lurgan (non acute)) Hospitals.
People can keep asking MLAs, Newry Mourne and Down Council Councillors and officials, local representatives on the Southern Local Commissioning Group, the Southern Trust, DoH NI, Patient Client Council, Public Health Agency, Equality Commission, Older People’s Commission, Children and Young Peoples Commission for all these five solutions detailed above for Daisy Hill: (1) Return vital services, (2)Investment, (3) inpatient beds, (4) permanent diagnostic equipment and (5) Proper Recruitment for a level playing field for Daisy Hill Acute Hospital Newry because it is true – the health service does belongs to all of us and we must be treated with respect, listened to and supported to work as real partners within the HSC system*
Refs: *(Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together, Quote p19, Health Minister Michelle O’Neill, MLA
ENDS
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SaveDaisyHillhospital.com and Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook have been created in partnership for the positive promotion of Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city and to promote the need for expansion of specialist acute services, staff, number of beds, and imaging equipment at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city for now and the future.
Acute Hospital services and specialist acute inpatient beds needed in Newry 2023. Equality needed in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.
There are 160,615 adults and children on GP Registers in Newry & District who depend on timely access to Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry City to Consultant Led Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medical Services to save their lives. There is no nearby alternative Acute hospital with 24/7 Consultant Led ED Department.
On 1st April 2007 the Southern Trust (Under the 2006 Establishment Order) took over responsibility and accountability to the public (from existing providers Newry & Mourne Health & Social Services Trust) to continue to PROVIDE (NOT TAKE AWAY) hospital accommodation (beds) and Services in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital.
HOW MANY INPATIENT BEDS HAVE THE SOUTHERN TRUST LEFT IN DAISY HILL ACUTE HOSPITAL, NEWRY TO PROVIDE FOR NEWRY & MOURNE POPULATION IN SEPTEMBER 2023?
There were 249.7 beds in Daisy Hill Hospital in 2010*(Ref1) but by September 2023 the Southern Trust has cut the number of inpatient beds dramatically and is now fast tracking centralisation to Craigavon despite the size and need of the larger population in Newry & District.
Newry & District’s very large population size is proven by the latest official data, as in 2023 Newry & District has the 2nd highest number of patients on GP registers in NI (with 160,615) after only Derry, including the 2nd highest number of children in NI under 18, with (36,228 ). (Ref2*: Source DOH).
The Southern Trust rather than provide hospital accommodation (beds) in Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry – instead recently CUT the number of inpatient beds in Daisy Hill, Newry and then soon afterwards has the insensitivity to put out an appeal to the public for help because high numbers of ill patients need hospital beds due to serious overcrowding in Daisy Hill Hospital and Craigavon Emergency Departments. (30th August 2023 Extreme Hospital pressures: See end for ‘Public appeal’ link*(Ref 3).
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust, with an income of nearly £945 million public money in 2021/22 has the function in Law to provide hospital accommodation (beds) and services for people in ALL the FIVE local government districts in the Southern Trust operational area (in order of population size, starting with the highest: Newry & Mourne, Craigavon, Armagh, Dungannon and Banbridge).
Yes this is correct – Newry & Mourne LGD has ALWAYS been the highest locality population of the 5 LGDs in the Southern Trust operational area (NISRA) (* Ref4) , however the Southern Trust simply will not allocate the appropriate investment on hospital buildings, services, equipment or staff in Newry & Mourne’s Acute Area Hospital – Daisy Hill.
CONCLUSION
There are unacceptable clear health inequalities in the Southern Trust right now, which must be challenged.
The Southern Trust is presently providing a 2-tier health system across its two acute hospitals.
For the population of Newry & Mourne the focus is on Acute Care at Home.
>How the Southern Trust are doing this:
The Southern Trust are enhancing ‘ACUTE’ CARE AT HOME services (with patients over 65 years to be cared for in their own homes rather than admitted to hospital), AMBULATORY (SAME DAY) HEALTHCARE and are aiming to provide ALTERNATIVES TO HOSPITAL CLOSE TO HOME as ABSOLUTE PRIORITIES for the Southern Trust for the POPULATION OF NEWRY & DISTRICT.
The Southern Trust have drastically reduced specialist acute inpatient beds in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital (DHH), Newry City and their ‘Ambitious’ plan for Daisy Hill aims to prevent and reduce inpatient medical admissions. The Southern Trust wants to transfer acute services from Daisy Hill Hospital to a community treatment centre.
>Meanwhile at the other end of the scale is the SECOND ACUTE HOSPITAL in the Southern Trust – CRAIGAVON. While Daisy Hill lost beds in 2023 – the Department of Health Budget 2023-24 proposed EXTRA BEDS & PERMANENT DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT FOR CRAIGAVON HOSPITAL AND ENHANCEMENT AFTER ENHANCEMENT. The Southern Trust steam on ahead with their unwavering plan for a £400million (2014 estimate) MAJOR NEW HOSPITAL FOR THE SMALLER POPULATION OF CRAIGAVON.
“Equalitymeans treating people fairly and making sure they have the same chances at life.” According to the HSC Equality Action Plan 2023-28 – but how is this 2-tier health system in the Southern Trust equality?
Hospitals are paid for with public money and the Southern Trust is meant to provide services – not take them away without public consultation. Local authorities must follow the law and be accountable to the people.
REQUIRED SOLUTION:
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust must:
Invest properly in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry to ensure the large population in Newry & District is provided for and to fulfil their statutory and legal obligations towards Equality, Human Rights, Rural Needs, Rights of the Child, Good relations and Climate Change regulations.
Return specialist acute inpatient beds to Daisy Hill Hospital
Buy permanent major diagnostic equipment for Daisy Hill Hospital and
Recruit properly for staff for Daisy Hill Hospital and stop prioritising Craigavon and (Lurgan (non acute)) Hospitals.
BACKGROUND REFERENCES& ADDITIONAL DATA
Ref 1 249.7 beds in Daisy Hill Hospital in 2010 (*Ref1 : Source DOH 2010)
Ref 2 GP registers in NI Newry & District has 160,615 patients (2nd highest in NI (after only Derry), including the 2nd highest number of children in NI under 18, with (36,228 ) (*Ref 2: Source DOH 2023)
(A) INPATIENT BEDS: ALL PROGRAMMES OF CARE (Source DOH 2010 & 2022)
249.7 Average available inpatient beds in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry. [1st April 2009 to 31st March 2010]. 221.1 Average available inpatient beds in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry. [1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022]. In September 2023 – how many inpatient beds are left in Daisy Hill acute Hospital, Newry?
(B) INPATIENT BEDS: General Surgery: 1st April 2009 to 31st March 2010 (DOH 2010)
> General Surgery : Daisy Hill: 48.8 average available inpatient beds and 3,036 non elective inpatients > General Surgery CAH: 85.9 average available inpatient beds and 3,727 non elective inpatients.
(C) INPATIENT BEDS: General Surgery 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022 (DOH 2022) >General Surgery: Daisy Hill: 24.2 average available inpatient beds and 2,089 non elective inpatients > General surgery: CAH: 70.5 average available inpatient beds and 3,008 non elective inpatients. (Non elective inpatients =unplanned/emergency). ‘Average Available/Occupied Beds: The average number of available and occupied beds during the year in wards that are open overnight, measured at midnight. Hospitals may also have a number of beds in wards that are only open during the day. Beds reserved for day care admission or regular day admission are not included.’ (Source DOH 2022).
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SaveDaisyHillhospital.com and Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook have been created in partnership for the positive promotion of Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city and to promote the need for expansion of specialist acute services, staff, number of beds, and imaging equipment at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city for now and the future.
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.
It was confirmed by the Clinicians at the recent Emergency Surgery public meeting on the 22nd March 2023 in the Canal Court, Newry that the Southern Trust and Department of Health’s plan is to turn Daisy Hill Specialist Acute hospital into a Regional Elective (planned surgery) Centre.
Daisy Hill Acute Hospital had been previously designated by Government to provide timely access to 24/7 Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medical Services and Consultant led Maternity Services but the Southern Trust’s Chief Executive confirmed that ‘plans to turn the hospital into an elective overnight stay centre were progressing’ at the Canal Court Hotel public meeting.
BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BECOME A REGIONAL ELECTIVE CARE CENTRE?
Department of Health (DoH) Reports are clear on how they intend to provide elective care (planned surgery rather than Emergency or unplanned treatment). “Hospitals designated as Elective Care Centres will be used for outpatient assessments, diagnostics, day surgery or short stay inpatient surgery UNINTERRUPTED BY EMERGENCY ADMISSIONS.”
The Patient and Client Council have stated that “Elective care centres are specialist STANDALONE units DEDICATED PURELY to the delivery of PLANNED assessment and treatment…In practice, this means providing more treatment on a smaller number of specially designed standalone sites by moving this activity away from the busiest hospital sites.”
If Elective care centres are DEDICATED PURELY to the delivery of PLANNED assessment and treatment (for Regional Consultants and their patients) – what other specialist acute inpatient care services will be provided in Daisy Hill, Newry City FOR THE LONG TERM FUTURE for the 159,599 adults and children on Newry and District GP Registers, should it become an elective care centre? These specialist acute services should include 24/7 Type 1 Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medicine, inpatient paediatric services, HDU, Diagnostics, Maternity etc and clinical staff and inpatient beds (other than for Elective care)
2 STEPS ON THE WAY TO BECOMING A REGIONAL ELECTIVE CENTRE:
STEP 1: REMOVE EMERGENCY SURGERY / STEP 2: REMOVE MORE ACUTE SERVICES
(1) The Trust controversially withdrew the life saving Emergency Surgery service from Daisy Hill in Newry city, in Feb 2022 requiring all Southern Trust patients to travel to Craigavon Hospital. Having after being withdrawn temporarily, the Trust now proposes all life saving Emergency Surgery will be permanently withdrawn from Newry City and will be only provided only in future in Craigavon. This withdrawal of Emergency Surgery service will also assist in the plan to prepare to turn Daisy Hill Hospital into a Regional elective centre.
(2) The Trust’s next plan is to REMOVE other acute services from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital and send these services to a Community Treatment Centre in Newry. This was announced by Future Group Chairman Dr Patterson at the Canal Court public meeting describing the arrangement with the phrase to “free up space.” (This community centre will be privately and not HSC owned).
>IS THE PLAN FOR DAISY HILL TO BECOME A REGIONAL ELECTIVE CARE CENTRE INSTEAD OF A SPECIALIST ACUTE HOSPITAL?
If so, this proposal is a HUGE change of purpose for Newry & District’s designated Acute Hospital, at Daisy Hill, Newry. This means that any Regional Surgeon, (either NHS or from a Private hospital), will come to Daisy Hill for planned (elective) operations on their own regional patients from anywhere in NI using the existing operating theatres, beds, staff, and equipment in Daisy Hill.
Controversial changes such as the change in Status/purpose of ANY of the 9 designated NI Acute Hospitals in NI (including Daisy Hill) from a Specialist Acute Hospital to a Regional Elective Care Centre must go to DOH NI wide Regional public consultation before any such decisions are made.
POPULATION FACTS : THE NEWRY & MOURNE LOCALITY IS THE HIGHEST POPULATION IN THE SOUTHERN TRUST AREA
The former Newry & Mourne locality is one of 5 local government districts in the Southern Trust operational area. Newry & Mourne (which includes South Armagh) IS and ALWAYS HAS BEEN the highest population in the Southern Trust. This population (along with other neighbouring areas and visitors) is served by Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry.
The NI public pay for Health and Social Care services through Regional Rates bills, Taxes and National Insurance deductions from their wages. The public must be consulted and asked to agree /approve changes to services for which they are paying and have paid to maintain – especially Changes that involve Withdrawal of services from a designated NI Acute Hospital.
CONCLUSION:
REGIONAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION IS REQUIRED BEFORE DAISY HILL ACUTE HOSPITAL IS CHANGED TO A REGIONAL ELECTIVE CARE CENTRE
This is potentially unacceptable further withdrawal of specialist acute hospital services from Daisy Hill Hospital on a massive scale without Consultation or any due regard to the NI Rural Needs Act 2016, Equality Legislation, Fair Treatment and Employment 1998 or Change or Withdrawal of Services and population needs assessment .
Any change in Status/purpose of Daisy Hill from Acute Hospital to Regional Elective Care Centre dressed up as ‘transformation’ or ‘reconfiguration’ must be challenged by the Public and all Elected Representatives who believe In Equality and Timely Access to Healthcare in Newry & Mourne- South Down and South Armagh. This cannot go ahead without NI wide Regional Consultation for scrutiny and evaluation by the NI Assembly and public alike under the 2009 Act before any such decisions are made.
To end the uncertainty surrounding Daisy Hill, and for more information on plans for Newry’s Daisy Hill Acute Hospital and elective care centres –you can ask the local representatives on the Southern Local Commissioning Group, the Southern Trust, DoH NI, and Patient Client Council.
These organisations should be able to clarify and explain in detail what future plans they have for Daisy Hill Hospital and whether the concerns written about here are valid.
References and Further Reading:
Patient Client Council, Elective Care in Northern Ireland, 10th July 2019.
Elective Care Framework Restart, Recovery and Redesign 2021
Elective Care, is care that is planned in advance as opposed to Emergency or unplanned treatment. (p24: *Elective Care Framework Restart, Recovery and Redesign 2021).
“This requires commitment from all Trusts that in sites identified as regional elective care centres, that BEDS AND STAFF must be RING FENCED for the delivery of regional elective care.” (p63 *Elective Care Framework Restart, Recovery and Redesign 2021)
“Partnerships and cross-sector collaboration are ESSENTIAL. New services or interventions created, or existing ones that are transformed, WILL NOT ALWAYS BE HSC OWNED.” (p74 *Elective Care Framework Restart, Recovery and Redesign )
“We need more sites providing dedicated elective services that are ENTIRELY SEPARATE from unscheduled care.” ( p75 *Elective Care Framework Restart, Recovery and Redesign )
More References and further reading to follow soon
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 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.
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust came down to Newry on Wednesday 22nd March 2023 to dictate to the people that they had decided, to withdraw timely, life-saving emergency general surgery permanently, from Newry City’s Area Acute Hospital Daisy Hill.
Because of this unjust decision there is a Major public health crisis in Newry & Mourne right now, especially with this new threat to Daisy Hill of permanent removal of Emergency Surgery so that Daisy Hill can be made an Elective Care Centre, as confirmed at the public meeting on 22 March 2023
Dr O’Kane, the Southern Trust’s Chief Executive confirmed at this meeting that ‘plans to turn the hospital into an elective overnight stay centre were progressing.’ Note how they have removed the name Hospital.
The Daisy Hill Future Group Chairman Dr Conor Patterson also stated that plans were imminent to pass over the Monaghan Row Council Offices over to the Southern Trust. He also spoke of Southern Trust intentions to transfer acute services from Daisy Hill into a Community Treatment Centre in Newry. (This will be a privately built building which will be rented by the Southern Trust for 27 years, so not HSC owned).
TIME FOR ACTION – EMERGENCY COUNCIL MEETING AND MARCH NEEDED
Now it is time again, that the people asked Newry Mourne & Down Council for their concentrated support to organise to call for action and proper treatment of Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, the Area Hospital for Newry & Mourne and South Armagh.
In 2014 when the Southern Trust announced they wanted to centralise all Acute Stroke Services from Newry to Craigavon, the former Newry & Mourne Council unanimously supported the people’s campaign against this unfair and unjust decision.
Newry & Mourne Council did an excellent job of organising a large Rally and March in Newry, wrote to the Southern Trust with their objections and ran a successful united Save Our Stroke Services Campaign. This Save Our Stroke services at Daisy Hill, Newry Rally was 8 years ago this weekend on Saturday 28th March 2015.
We need Newry, Mourne and Down Council to support the people in a similar way with a united campaign to support Daisy Hill Acute Hospital and the proposed loss of another Specialist Service – this time, Emergency Surgery from the Newry city hospital.
We need Newry Mourne & Down Council’s support and for them to organise another March in Newry on a Saturday as soon as possible.
Daisy Hill for life is calling on all citizens of Newry & Mourne and Down to please contact, talk to, and write to our District Councillors for help today on the Southern trust’s plan to withdraw permanently, timely, life saving emergency general surgery from Newry City’s Area Acute Hospital Daisy Hill.
DAISY HILL HOSPITAL, NEWRY CITY IS NOT BEING TREATED FAIRLY
The Newry Mourne & Down District Council should be aware that this isn’t the first time since 2014 that Daisy Hill was under threat of permanent removal of timely life saving Acute Stroke or Acute Emergency services under the direction of the Southern Trust, especially since the publication of the advice given by:
1. The Bengoa Report 2016 – where they used Stroke Services in the Southern Trust as a Local Case Study and canvassed for Craigavon to be the only hospital to have Acute Stroke services in the Southern Trust.
2. Regional Acute Stroke Services Consultation 2019 : Daisy Hill was in none of the 5 options in the 2019 consultation for Regional Acute Stroke Services and Craigavon was named as one of only three sure to have a hyper acute and acute stroke unit.
3. In March 2020 at a key time for the world, the Southern Trust showed complete indifference on how people of Newry & Mourne and South Armagh were supposed to access Emergency Care. All Acute Services including Emergency Medical and Surgical Services, Respiratory, Direct Assessment, Children’s ED, and Acute Clinical Staff, were removed from Daisy Hill for six months. Again making sure that Craigavon could have two adult and 1 new Children’s Emergency Department.
4. HSC Rebuilding Plans 2020 -2021 : The Southern Trust refused to put Daisy Hill Emergency Department in the Department of Health Rebuilding Plans from March to October 2020 and Daisy Hill was excluded from the NI Critical Care Network.
5. Review of Emergency Surgery Workstreams March 2022: Daisy Hill was used as a Case Study not to have Emergency Surgery in Review of Emergency Surgery Workstreams because the Southern Trust has removed Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill in February 2022.
6. Review of General Surgery 2022: The Southern Trust decision to permanently remove emergency surgery from Daisy Hill used as evidence in the findings and advice of the Workstreams of the Review of General Surgery (which never went to public consultation to the NI Assembly for approval) and the advice given by Dr Mark Taylor to Minister Swann to decide on which hospitals would have Emergency Surgery services, or decide that Daisy Hill and South West Acute Hospitals should be changed permanently from major specialist acute hospitals into Regional Elective care centres
Daisy Hill in Newry City is the only Acute hospital serving the 2 Constituencies of Newry & Armagh & South Down, with Population of 235,877, including 60,327 under-18s; NISRA 2020
Newry, Mourne and Down is the 3rd highest Local Government District population in NI and its only Acute Area hospital at Daisy Hill, Newry must be prioritised for funding and investment as a Major Specialist acute Hospital not just as an elective centre. The population here have no other timely access to an acute hospital in an emergency.
Now is the time for positive action. Please contact your councillors and ask for an Emergency Council Meeting and a Public Rally/March to be organised to take place on a Saturday in Newry in support of Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry. This must happen before the Councillors break for council elections.
The Consultation on Provision of Emergency Surgery in the Southern Trust closes on Friday 21st April 2023. It is also important that the people of Newry Mourne & Down take part in this consultation. More information on how you can take part in the Southern Trust Emergency Surgery Consultation 2023 will soon be provided here and on Daisy Hill for Life face book page. https://www.facebook.com/daisyhillforlife Thank you.
Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com (Daisy Hill Hospital for Life) and Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Thank-you! We welcome sharing.
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WANT TO HELP DAISY HILL ACUTE HOSPITAL IN NEWRY & HELP ENSURE WE STILL HAVE LIFE-SAVING 24/7 EMERGENCY SURGICAL & MEDICAL SERVICES THERE IN THE FUTURE?
Yes, YOU CAN HELP make a difference to our future Hospital services in Newry City by answering the Dept of Health (DOH) consultation on Changes to Urgent and Emergency Services 2022 by Friday 1 July 2022 @ 5pm.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE PART IN THIS CONSULTATION
This Consultation proposes future Changes to How and Where we can access Emergency and Urgent Care services, and will soon involve changes to our existing services. We all need to be involved in this or the new changes will be made without our input.
This Consultation is about proposed Changes to Urgent and Emergency Care Services, and gives us a direct opportunity, while answering the Qs, to show the Department of Health how important it is to provide Emergency & Urgent Care services in Daisy Hill Hospital.
The Provider of Services in this area, the Southern Trust withdrew Emergency Surgery from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in March 2022 – and we would like this life-saving Emergency Care to be re-instated to Newry city.
This Department of Health Consultation places huge importance on an Action Plan called ‘No More Silos’ for future planning of Emergency services – but this No More Silos Plan was in place when the Southern Trust closed Daisy Hill’s ED during the pandemic to provide 3 EDs in Craigavon– so this is not the model of care best suited to our area. There is a real population-based need in the area and future Emergency & Urgent Care services must be commissioned for the Newry South Down and South Armagh Area Hospital -Daisy Hill, in Newry City.
Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry City
If you would like to help by Submitting a Response to the Urgent and Emergency Care Services Consultation, or are short on time and would like some ideas – please read the Daisy Hill for Life on Facebook and this website
All Responses must be submitted before Friday 1st July 2022 @5pm.
HOW TO RETURN YOUR COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE TO THE CONSULTATION BY EMAIL
When you have finished the form – check and save your answers, then log into your email account.
Select New Email, Add the Questionnaire File as an Attachment to your new email message (using either the Paperclip icon or Add Attachment)
The Email Address to send your completed Questionnaire is UECS@health-ni.gov.uk ,
Type UECS@health-ni.gov.uk into the To box of your New Email
Write your message and finally click Send
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH NI CONSULTATION DOCUMENTS LINK
By Post > A hard copy of your response Questionnaire can also be sent to:
Department of Health, Regional Health Transformation Directorate, Annex 3, Castle Buildings, Stormont, Belfast BT4 3SQ
Why Emergency & Urgent Care services must be provided in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry
DEMOGRAPHICS
Latest May 2022 figures* show Newry & District has the 2nd highest number of patients in NI registered with GP practices, (159,599) many suffering with serious illnesses who need Emergency & Urgent Care and specialist hospital services. (Newry & District also has the 2nd highest number of Children U18 in NI). Without Daisy Hill ED there is no nearby alternative for Emergency or Urgent treatment for accidents which can happen on the road, work, home or school or during sport and leisure. (* Background information at the end)
2. COST OF LIVING
Fuel prices are increasing – people cannot afford to drive or get taxis to Craigavon hospital if services are moved there.
3. ECONOMY & JOBS
We want to keep Jobs in our Newry South Down South Armagh Area Hospital and keep our skills-base and economy strong (Fair treatment and Employment Act).
4. CLIMATE CHANGE
Centralisation of services is bad for the Environment – puts extra cars on the road and increases carbon footprint. We are told to Shop Local to protect Economy and the Environment – why should hospital services be any different?
5. RURAL PROOFING
In 2009 the NI Executive committed to strive for a fair and inclusive rural society where rural dwellers enjoy the same quality of life as all others in the region. There is a duty on public authorities to have due regard to rural needs ( Rural Needs Act 2016) – this must be shown by the DOH in how they commission Emergency and Urgent care services.
>Newry city needs a fully functioning acute hospital with a Type 1 ED providing Time Critical Emergency and Urgent care for its citizens. Rates, taxes and national insurance contributions all go towards these services and you and your family are entitled to have a say where the services are provided.
*BACKGROUND 1
According to the GP Federation Register May 2022 (Source BSO)
>Newry & District has the Highest number of patients in NI with Heart Failure
>Newry & District has the 2nd Highest number of Patients in NI (after only Derry/L’Derry) with Cardiovascular Disease Primary Prevention, Osteoporosis and Depression
>Newry & District has the 3rd Highest number of Patients in NI (after Derry/L’Derry and Antrim) with Cancer, Coronary Heart Disease, Asthma, Hypertension (which can lead to heart and stroke), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Diabetes, and needing Palliative Care.
>Newry & District also has the 4th highest no of Patients in NI with Stroke, while Craigavon is 10th. This must inform where stroke services are provided in NI.
(GP Registers are the main reliable source of info you can look at for actual illness present in a local or general area to find out if there is need to provide health services there and to what extent.).
In 2020 Newry Mourne and Down (NMD) had the highest number of Fatal collisions, Serious collisions and Number of Seriously injured according to Recorded Injury Road Traffic Collisions (RTC) statistics.
BACKGROUND 2
ROAD ACCIDENTS:
In 2020 Newry Mourne and Down (NMD) had the HIGHEST number of
(1) Fatal collisions ,
(2) Serious collisions and
(3) Number of Seriously injured
according to Recorded Injury Road Traffic Collisions (RTC) statistics. Similar high statistics were recorded in previous years.
ROAD ACCIDENTS – CHILD CASUALITIES
U16 Child casualties following Road Traffic Collisions (Newry Mourne and Down):
In 2020/21 : NMD had the highest number of children seriously injured and
highest number of children in NI KSI (killed or seriously injured) .
In 2019/20 NMD had joint highest no of children in NI killed,
2nd highest no of road collisions in NI resulting in child injuries or deaths and
2nd highest no of children in NI seriously injured after Belfast.
Similar high statistics were recorded since 2016/17. (Source: Recorded Injury Road Traffic Collisions statistics).
The evidence is all there – please take part in the Department of Health NI Urgent and Emergency Care Consultation 2022 and ask for Urgent and Emergency care services to be commissioned in the Newry South Down South Armagh Area Hospital, Daisy Hill in Newry city for us, our families and our future generations.
You can keep making a difference for Daisy Hill!
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.
Department of Health NI proposals to radically change HOW and WHERE the public can ACCESS Accident and Emergency Care, are out for consultation, so the people can agree or disagree to this permanent Change or Withdrawal of Services.
The Urgent and Emergency Care Services Review Consultation 2022* proposes plans to re-organise the current system of ACCESS to Urgent and Emergency Care Services (including Hospitals). It also deals with “how older people and others will be offered treatment in the community to avoid admission or delays in hospital.” The Consultation says changes are needed to help with issues like over-crowded EDS, too many patients waiting over 12 hours.
What will these proposals mean for you and the people of Newry & Mourne, South Down and South Armagh, Banbridge, Armagh etc?
Future services and investment for all Hospitals in NI including Newry’s Area Hospital, Daisy Hill will depend on these new changes.
The Urgent and Emergency Care Consultation Report suggests that future Emergency/ Urgent Care Services should use the “experience gained locally” during the pandemic. The people will remember that during pandemic THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY SERVICE IN NEWRY under the Southern Trust from 28th March 2020 to 19th October 2020.
The local experience / service was, the Southern Trust CLOSED the Emergency Surgery & Emergency Medical services at Daisy Hill Hospital Type 1 ED in Newry, and Daisy Hill staff were re-deployed –to provide 3 EDs including a children’s ED in Craigavon hospital.
Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry was designated to be one of the 9 Major Acute Hospitals with 24/7 consultant -led Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medical Services necessary to provide Acute hospital services fairly to everyone no matter where they choose to live in NI in 2003.
However, at the beginning of the pandemic, the Southern Trust was the only Health and Social Care Trust in NI to close an acute hospital Type 1 ED.
Daisy Hill Acute Hospital has also been left out of the NI Critical Care Network, and the Southern Trust Stage 1 and Stage 2 Rebuilding plans, showing little regard for the unscheduled care needs of the large populations Daisy Hill was designated as an Acute Hospital for.
The Southern Trust consistently LEAVES DAISY HILL HOSPITAL, NEWRY OUT of their necessary Capital Priorities Business plans submitted to the Department of Health. Because of this -Daisy Hill in Newry City is the only Acute hospital in all of NI waiting on finance for future Redevelopment, especially the NEW hospital building, which was agreed by the Secretary of State in 2005.
PROPOSED LOCATIONS FOR URGENT AND EMERGENCY CARE SERVICES
The Department of Health Review and Consultation does not give Names of Locations for Future Urgent and Emergency services, but instead state they will provide them in the “RIGHT PLACE”.
Newry & District with 159,600 patients has the 2nd highest number of patients on GP Federation Registers in NI. We need to tell the Department of Health in this Consultation that based on POPULATION size, DAISY HILL ACUTE HOSPITAL, NEWRY IS THE RIGHT PLACE for Type 1 Consultant-Led Emergency Department with and Emergency Surgery and Emergency Medicine.
The Department of Health NI wants us to tell them if they have left anything out of the Urgent and Emergency Services Consultation Proposals before they finalise the plan. All views put forward to the Consultation will go directly to the decision makers at the Department of Health; whose responsibility it is to assess the health needs of the population, and to then commission services, based on this.
STROKE IS A MAJOR 999 EMERGENCY
Stroke Services are being consulted on again in this consultation, as it is a major Emergency service which we are still told to ring 999 for. The Bengoa Report inappropriately recommended the Centralisation of Stroke services from Daisy Hill, Newry City to Craigavon. The result of which was shown in the Department of Health NI Consultation on Reshaping Stroke Services in 2019 when Daisy Hill’s Stroke Unit was unfairly LEFT OUT of all the Options for Location of Acute and Hyper-acute Stroke units. Craigavon, because of the Bengoa Recommendation as a local Case Study was in ALL of the Options for both Hyper-acute and Acute stroke Units, while Newry’s Daisy Hill was in NONE.
No reply was ever given to any of the 19,000 people in NI who responded to the ‘Reshaping Stroke Services’ Consultation and many objected or gave alternatives to the proposals. This needs to be cleared up NOW as this consultation is in provision of Emergency/Urgent Care for the future.
If you want to make sure you can still access Emergency services at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry, in the future – This is how we tell them -We are ENTITLED TO IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO 24/7 CONSULTANT-LED EMERGENCY SURGICAL AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN DAISY HILL ACUTE HOSPITAL, NEWRY CITY. You can reply to the Consultation questionnaire online and in writing until 01 July 2022. (Link below)
More information on this Dept. Of Health NI Consultation will follow shortly on Daisy Hill for Life Facebook page and on this blog Daisy Hill Hospital for life
REFERENCE *Review of Urgent and Emergency Care Services in Northern Ireland – Consultation Report & Strategic Priorities Department of Health Northern Ireland, 2022.
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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Daisy Hill Hospital for Life 