Secretary of State Chris Heaton Harris powerless to address NHS pay dispute - while Daisy Hill Hospital acute services 'precarious'

However, after meeting unions today, Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris said he cannot get involved in NHS pay disputes in NI.

Unions have been told the NHS has too much debt and that members will get a zero pay increase this year - while their colleagues in England and Wales get 5%.

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust today revealed that it will be diverting all acute stroke patients to Craigavon Area hospital from 31 May, citing a shortage of consultants; the BBC reported that nine have left in six months. The trust said the challenges are "putting services at the hospital – such as respiratory and gastrointestinal inpatient medical provision – at risk".

Speaking at the monthly Trust Board meeting in Newry, Chief Executive Dr Maria O’Kane said staffing issues are causing "great concern" across a range of areas.

“The regional and international shortage of consultants, difficulties recruiting specialist grade and junior doctors and the serious over-reliance on locum doctors are matters of great concern in meeting the demand for acute inpatient medicine and providing stable medical staffing cover in our medical wards," she said.

The shortage of medical staff is a problem across NI and further afield, she said, so while she is seeking help from other trusts and the Department of Health, any support is "likely to be limited", she added.

Dr Tom Black of the BMA, said the news of services being withdrawn from Daisy Hill is "extremely worrying". He added: "Acute medical services at the hospital look increasingly precarious."

( Acute services are inpatient treatments during the most unstable period following an illness, accident or surgery.)

“If we do not support our staff and ensure they are valued, then we will lose them," he said. "If we do not give staff the chance to develop and use their skills, then they will go elsewhere to work."

UNISON, the largest health union in the Southern Trust area, outlined their concerns at the trust board meeting today. Orchard Branch Secretary, Deborah Yapicioz, said staff feel let down by management.

She queried what steps the board has taken to address recruitment problems, also citing concerns about "the lack of openness from management" throughout the consultation on removing Emergency General Surgery from Daisy Hill. She added that "the evidence we have [is] that the hospital is being run down."

The Secretary of State met with the Health Trade Unions today to hear their demands for fair pay. A Northern Ireland Office spokesperson said later: "Ultimately this is a matter for the trade unions and the Department of Health. The Secretary of State has no authority to negotiate pay in Northern Ireland."

She added that "stable and accountable local government” is the best way to resolve the issues. Mr Heaton-Harris told the PA news agency that "there’s very little I can do to get involved in negotiations".