Proposals to restructure services at Newry's Daisy Hill Hospital have sparked fears about possible bed losses.
Hundreds attended a public meeting organised by the Daisy Hill Emergency Surgery SOS campaign group on Wednesday, following the recent announcement that stroke services were being moved to Craigavon Area Hospital.
The Southern Trust has blamed difficulties in securing enough senior consultant cover, and said the measure would remain in place over the summer until a permanent solution can be found.
Following Wednesday's meeting, which was attended by healthcare workers and politicians, along with members of the public, it was reported by the BBC that proposed changes could see over 100 beds lost at Daisy Hill.
Francis Gallagher from the Daisy Hill Emergency Surgery SOS group called on the public to endorse a plan to escalate protests, rallies and political engagement.
Sinn Féin’s Newry and Armagh MP, Mickey Brady, accused the Southern Trust of lurching “from crisis to crisis”.
"The trust really needs to get its act together. We've had numerous meetings with the trust where we've been told this, that and the other….what we want to ensure is that Daisy Hill is not downgraded.”
Massive turnout to save Daisy Hill Hospital Unanimous consensus that we’re gonna mobilize to bring the good fight to the health authorities and political establishment ✋ Hands off Daisy Hill The discriminatory stripping away of services from our hospital must be reversed pic.twitter.com/I8vx3cJPTw
— Justin McNulty (@JustinMcNu1ty) June 7, 2023
In a statement on Thursday, Southern Trust Chief Executive Dr Maria O’Kane said: “This is a very difficult time for staff but we are encouraged by their enthusiasm to work with us to modernise and improve services for patients.”
She said “limited substantive medical consultants” would be working at Daisy Hill from late July, which could impact on the number of other doctors allocated in August.
“Our initial focus is to immediately stabilise staffing for the summer months in anticipation of a more permanent solution,” she said.
A Trust spokesperson said the figure relating to the number of beds that could be lost at Daisy Hill was taken from a presentation to staff outlining "a number of possible options offering alternatives to inpatient medical admissions".
"We continue to develop and refine these suggested proposals as we receive more information and consider feedback from staff and regional health and social care colleagues," they added.
The plans are aimed to prevent and reduce inpatient medical admissions by developing more same day emergency care and enhancing community services.
Alternatives are to be offered to inpatient medical admissions, while the trust has requested regional support with senior medical cover to stabilise staffing at Daisy Hill in the short term.
Dr O’Kane said she had also requested a project to address the ongoing workforce challenges faced by all local hospitals in Northern Ireland.
Among Daisy Hill workers attending Wednesday’s public meeting was Brian McKeown.
"I work on the stroke rehab ward and the news that we received last week was absolutely shocking that the hospital would be reduced by so much and that all of our jobs would be at risk," he told the BBC.
Meanwhile, it has further been reported that the number of GP practices in Northern Ireland has fallen by over nine per cent in eight years.
The Department of Health has said there were 317 surgeries by the end of March instead of 350 in 2014.
In the Western Trust, the largest decrease was seen with a fall of 16 per cent in the same time period.
The figures do not distinguish between those working full and part time, but does show that six out of ten GPs are now women, compared to a majority of male doctors in 2014.
The co-chair of the British Medical Association’s GP committee, Dr Alan Stout, said fewer surgeries with an increased and ageing population was an obvious problem.
"The increase in GP headcount gives a hint of solution but, in reality, has resulted in less clinical sessions mainly because of the pressures," he told BBC NI.
"We must do everything to try to retain and enhance our workforce."
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