Daisy Hill Hospital: Emergency Department and other services 'stabilised' for summer months

Southern Health and Social Care Trust has said that while measures have been put in place to secure several key services over the summer months, work is continuing to secure the “longer term sustainablity” of the hospital.

Concern over the hospital’s future has been growing due to difficulties iwth the recruitment and retention of medical staff.

Earlier this month it was reported that a shortage of consultants was putting the provision of inpatient care in general medicine at risk.

Following a board meeting on Thursday, the SHSCT said: “The plan focuses on immediately stabilising services for the summer months in light of challenges with senior medical cover.

"Work will continue to secure the longer term sustainability of the hospital, with input from the Department of Health and wider HSC system.

“The plan secures the acute status of Daisy Hill Hospital and maintains the Emergency Department on a 24/7 basis whilst minimising impact on other services.”

A trade union recently expressed concern that the hospital could be downgraded to the extent that any new core services would have to be run by doctors from other hospitals.

SHSCT chief executive Dr Maria O’Kane said: “I would like to thank our own staff and regional colleagues who have worked intensively to find a solution to maintaining services and patient safety at Daisy Hill.

"Our medical team in particular have been working under extremely difficult circumstances and have shown great dedication to securing the service whilst supporting medical education and training.

“The aim of this process has been to find a sustainable way forward for the hospital, its patients and staff.

"Ensuring patient safety and supporting our staff have been absolute priorities. We want to develop more alternatives to inpatient medical admissions where appropriate and improve patient flow and discharge."

Dr O’Kane said patients should continue to use the hospital as referred by their health care professional, although patients with less urgent symptoms are being advise phone before attending between 9am and 9pm Monday to Friday (on 0300 123 3 111).

Anyone with acute life-threatening symptoms is being reminded to phone 999, or take the patient to their nearest emergency department.

All suspected acute stroke patients will be taken to an alternative hospital due to a shortage of stroke consultants at Daisy Hill.

The Trust has said that arrangements are in place for patients who present at Daisy Hill with stroke symptoms to be given appropriate treatment before being transferred to Craigavon or the RVH in Belfast.

Department of Health permanent secretary Peter May paid tribute to the clinicians and Trust management, and said: “There will be no let up in the efforts to secure a stable future for the hospital. Daisy Hill provides vital care to the local community and is an important part of NI’s hospital network.

“The Department has underlined its support for Daisy Hill with the decision to designate it as a regional overnight surgery centre and with the announcement earlier this year of a £9.1m upgrade of the hospital’s electrical infrastructure.”

The Stability Plan update is available at: https://southerntrust.hscni.net/stability-plan-agreed-for-daisy-hill-hospital/