Newry and Armagh SinnFein MP Mickey Brady has told Southern Trust health officials that Daisy Hill Hospital’s Emergency Department must be available to the public on a 24-hour basis.
Mr Brady led a SinnFein delegation on Thursday 6 April to meet the Trust following their announcement that Daisy Hill may lose its night time Emergency Department service due to unavailability of senior staff.
Speaking after the meeting Mickey Brady said: ” It is our view that the Southern Trust do have sufficient senior staff to cover both Daisy Hill and Craigavon on a 24-hour basis. They need to manage their workforce to ensure there is no threat to service.
There has been widespread concern at the Southern Trust’s decision to axe part of the ED service at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry.
“We are aware that Craigavon Hospital has redirected ambulances away from its Emergency Department on numerous occasions in recent months as it was unable to cope with the volume of patients. There is no logic to the Trust considering a reduction of service in Daisy Hill when Craigavon is already over stretched.
Mickey Brady MP looks over the case for the retention of the ED at Daisy Hill.
“We also raised the issue of putting a cap on locum pay for consultants to encourage full-time staff rather than unsustainable temporary arrangements.”
Mr Brady added: ” The proposal to close night-time Emergency Department services in Daisy Hill Hospital must be resisted by all who value the excellent service it provides. We will continue to work with staff, unions and the public to ensure that Daisy Hill Hospital services are protected and expanded.
“We will be meeting again with the Trust in the coming weeks to discuss further the propositions we put to them and to hold them to account for their responsibility to deliver a first class health service for all citizens in our area.”
Speaking prior to the meeting the MP said: “The Trust have serious questions to answer, in particular how they have reached a different conclusion about the sustainability of Emergency Department services to that by the former Health Minister, and also how they have by this action, effectively undermined the efforts of all, staff, political representatives, the community and voluntary sector who have worked together to ensure that Daisy Hillremains an acute hospital.”
In the absence of a health minister in Northern Ireland due to the collapse of the Stormont administration, the health service is increasingly in a turmoil.
However, demands to curb locum wages may be more difficult if the Royal Colleges which regulate the health professionals oppose this.
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