Thousands gather in Newry to demand long-term plan for Daisy Hill Hospital

Huge crowds gathered in Newry in Sunday over concerns about the long-term future of Daisy Hill Hospital.

The rally was held just days after the Southern Health Trust announced plans to stabilise services at the hospital over the summer months, before a longer-term solution can be found.

This included securing three medical consultants from Craigavon Area Hospital to relieve pressures caused by difficulties in securing enough senior medical cover.

Southern Trust Chief Executive Dr Maria O’Kane, said the measures created a more optimistic situation but warned that increased demands, financial and workforce pressures alongside the need for modern modernisation meant there remains “very real challenges across health and social care”.

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Speaking ahead of Sunday’s rally, Eddy Curtis from the SOS Daisy Hill campaign group said the stabilisation plans from the Trust would not stop their efforts.

“Yes, we welcome some of the statements that were made, for example that three consultants and one locum will be coming to Craigavon to assist over the next number of months,” he told Cool FM.

“However, my immediate reaction after that is this is just a plaster over a large number of items that are not going well.

“The people of Newry, south Down and south Armagh, Monaghan, Craigavon and Louth – who all avail of the services – demand and require a quality of health that will be long term and sustainable.

“We’re calling on the permanent secretary and the chief executive of the Trust to immediately now look at the implementation of a long-term strategy for the hospital. Without that long-term strategy, we are not going to stop our campaign.”

He said the community were not convinced the problems had been properly solved.

“Let’s make it very clear, everything is not OK at Daisy Hill. This is a very short term, and as they call it themselves a stabilisation of the hospital for a number of months and they’re going to review this in October.

“We believe that the positive announcement, even though not all of it is what we want, was a deliberate attempt to settle the people to say ‘everything’s ok, you don’t need to go to the event.”

Having urged thousands of people to take part, his message to the Southern Trust was: “Do not touch the hospital, improve the hospital and make it an acute hospital again and give it the services and facilities it demands for the health of the people who live in our area.”

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Southern Trust unveil plan to stabilise services at Daisy Hill Hospital