Daisy Hill Hospital: Newry councillors call for decision to remove general surgery services from hospital to be paused

The Southern Trust has recommended the Department moves the service permanently to Craigavon Area Hospital after it was temporarily removed from Daisy Hill in February 2022.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council elected representatives across the political divide, approved an emergency motion on Monday night brought forward by SDLP councillor, Michael Savage.

He said: “The decision by the Southern Trust at Thursday’s (Sept 28) board meeting to permanently remove emergency general surgery from our acute Daisy Hill hospital has been taken against the backdrop of a democratic deficit on two fronts.

“Firstly it is a decision that flies in the face of the views of over 11,000 service users and patients across this district who overwhelmingly voiced their opposition to the removal of emergency general surgery from Daisy Hill, 94% of respondents voiced their opposition to this move yet their views and the views of upwards of 10,000 people taking to the streets of Newry have been ignored.

“Secondly it is a decision that has been taken at a time when we have no Northern Ireland Executive and no local Health Minister in place to make such seismic and impactful decisions.

“Such a decision taken in this manner makes a mockery of the consultation process, which leaves citizens of this district feeling that there appears to be no such thing as a ‘temporary’ removal of a service from Daisy Hill.

“Again the Trust are putting the cart before the horse and ramming through a permanent major cut to services at Daisy Hill before a full picture of the future plans for the hospital have been developed.

“Surely the public would find it easier to accept this decision if it was part of a plan for the long-term future of our hospital, a plan that consolidates existing and new services at Daisy Hill long-term and gives patients and staff certainty.”

He added: “Councillors recognise the need to transform our services for better health outcomes, but I believe decisions like this one need to be made as part of the process which clearly states Daisy Hill’s valued role in that service delivery and transformation.

“I believe that plan can be delivered as early as January 2024 so I think it makes sense to hold off on this decision until the public see how it fits in to the overall picture of transformation of our health service and the envisaged role Daisy Hill plays in that transformation.”

TUV party chairman, Councillor Keith Ratcliffe said he was dismayed at the loss of emergency surgery.

“Many people within the constituency of Newry and Armagh will now have to travel considerable distance for life-saving treatment and I have no doubt that in these scenarios time is of the essence and the extra few miles could be critical,” he said.

"This move will be particularly severe on those who live in isolated parts of the constituency. The continual chipping away at Daisy Hill for years has left us in a situation where many people believe that it will eventually become little more than a health centre.

"The concerns of the local population have been repeatedly ignored and it seems to me that for all the talk of consultations and the like decisions are made long before the views, needs and interests of people are considered.”