Northern Ireland

Concerns as top A&E doctor quits Mater hospital

Dr John Gray is leaving his job at the Mater hospital
Dr John Gray is leaving his job at the Mater hospital Dr John Gray is leaving his job at the Mater hospital

CONCERNS about the future of a troubled Belfast A&E department are mounting following the resignation of a leading consultant.

The Belfast health trust has confirmed it is recruiting to find a replacement for Dr John Grey, who was the clinical lead at the Mater hospital’s casualty unit.

It is understood the senior medic is moving to another health trust to work and was passionate about the retention of services at the Mater.

Last November, a campaign was launched against the downgrading of the north Belfast hospital after paediatric emergency treatment was redirected to the Royal Victoria hospital due to medical shortages.

The hospital also lost it consultant-led maternity unit two years ago which is now staffed solely by midwives, catering for low-risk pregnancies.

The Unison trade union branch of the Mater said it "categorically condemned" the relocation of A&E care for children and raised concerns about a reduction in the hospital's acute services.

In a statement, the Belfast trust said: “The trust is currently advertising internally to replace the clinical lead of the emergency department of the Mater hospital.

"...The trust is continuously seeking to secure senior medical staff that will enhance the patient care service offered and is currently out to advert to recruit a number of doctors for the emergency departments in the Mater and Royal Victoria hospitals.”