South Down MLA Karen McKevitt (SDLP) has said in a no-holds-barred statement to the the Health Minister that he must enhance both the Downe and Daisy Hill hospitals because “it is clear Craigavon Area Hospital cannot cope with increased A&E intake to cover the south-eastern area.”
Ms McKevitt was speaking prior to an Assembly debate on an SDLP motion regarding the future services at both hospitals.
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South Down MLA Karen McKevitt has sent out a strong challenge to Health MInister Jim Wells on the delivery of services in South Down.[/caption]She said: “People in South Down and Newry and Armagh are angry because they feel decisions about their health-care are being made to save pennies, not lives. They are angry because they are being told to travel further for health-care treatment, to wait longer for consultations and essential treatment and to be happy about these changes.
“People from Downpatrick travelled to the Ulster Hospital for A&E treatment at the weekend, a service removed from Downe Hospital in January 2014. Likewise more and more services are moved from Newry to Craigavon. Last weekend Craigavon Area Hospital had 60 outlying patients; patients that required medical beds where none were available. Craigavon Area Hospital cannot cope with demand and it is clear that the Minister now needs to develop and enhance Downe and Daisy Hill hospitals.
“This morning I was contacted by a woman whose son was in a serious car crash in Kilcoo in October 2014. It took 50 minutes for an ambulance to arrive from Newtownabbey. His mother has recently been told her son might never walk again. That’s just one person’s harrowing story. There are many others. “Minister Wells was mistaken last week when he said there was not a problem and the public should feel reassured even though 200 operations were postponed due to pressures on emergency departments.
“Minister Wells, there is a problem – the problem was caused internally and the solution to that problem lies in your hands.”
The health debate is becoming the top item on the news agenda in the media with numerous complaints about the delivery or failure of services.
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