AN SDLP councillor has spoken of the urgent need for health reform after a "horrendous" stay in hospital.
Karen McKevitt was recently admitted to Newry's Daisy Hill hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia.
"The biggest shock for me was a nurse coming in with tears in her eyes, telling me that they were sorry they had to close the ward we were being treated in because they had nobody to staff the night shift," she told the BBC.
Mrs McKevitt added the nurse had been due to finish a 12 hour shift and was unable to leave as she had to push several patients out into a waiting area.
"My bed along with another patients was blocking a fire door," she said.
"There was CCTV cameras with no privacy. I didn't know whether they were on or off, it doesn't matter - that's where we were put. There was a public toilet. It was just horrendous."
Despite "brilliant" care from nurses, she said she was among several patients with no access to shower facilities and had to wash her hair in a bathroom sink.
Calling on the DUP to return to Stormont, she said: "Don't let anybody else die and suffer because you're not getting your way.
"Brexit will be sorted... if they come in round the table, other doors will be opened...our nurses need their pay rise, our nurses need an enhancement to come back into the health service."
While multiple reports have been produced on how to reform health and social care in Northern Ireland, Mrs McKevitt admitted she had been among many politicians who resisted significant change in their own areas.
Having been motivated by protecting services at Daisy Hill in the past, she said: "We need to move in a different direction here."
