Downpatrick Businesses Support A&E Campaign

Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright, who runs a business on Market Street in Downpatrick, said, “All other hospital trusts in Northern Ireland are able to maintain more than one top level accident and emergency unit. It is not credible that the South Eastern HSC Trust alone is incapable of recruiting the right staff.” [caption id="attachment_21129" align="alignright" width="400" caption="Downpatrick businesses are supporting the Down Community Health Committee's call for a full retention of services at the Downe A&E. Pictured are Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright of The Market Street Cafe with Pat Cassidy, Cassidy's Shoes."][/caption] “As a member of the Downe Community Health Committee I am delighted at the overwhelming support received from the business community in this campaign and note that this campaign is being taken to Newcastle and Ballynahinch over the next few days,” added Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright. The position taken by the busness community in the heart of Down has emerged after officials from the South Eastern HSC Trust made a recent presentation to the Down Council Health Committee. Hugh McCaughey, Trust Chairman, had explained that the Trust’s position was that there was a huge lack of public confidence in the Trust’s policy to deliver services at the Downe Hospital, and be cited local press as being instrumental in adding to the dynamic of low confidence in the new hospital. As the Northern Ireland Budget is about to be revealed at Stormont and we find out how much money Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has to play with, many people across the hospital services, the voluntary and community sector, and in commerce and industry are watching that space. All hell is likely to break loose. And then we have an Assembly and Council Election on 5th May. It may well be yet that this election which will be hotly contested will end up a one-horse election… on health. And this may be a race where there is literally no winners. http://www.downgreens.com/about/policies/downe-hospital-policy-campaign link to Facebook campaign http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=339761569006]]>