Moves To Re-Open Daisy Hill ED Welcomed By UNISON

The largest union in the health and social care system, UNISON, has welcomed the latestxa0 announcement from Shane Devlin, the Chief Executive of the Southern Health and Socialxa0Care Trust, that Daisy Hill Hospital will be fully functioning.

He added that emergency medicine will soon return writes Kevin McAteer.

UNISON Regional Organiser Nuala Conlon, said: “We welcome these assurances from the Chief Executive. These are assurances UNISON sought at the beginning of the lockdown period when the Trust was suspending services at Daisy Hill.

“We will be seeking clarity from the Trust on how quickly the Emergency Department will be re-opened and how issues like social distancing will be managed to protect both the public and our members.”

UNISON has been campaigning for several years to protect and strengthen the Emergency Department at Daisy Hill. The ED in Daisy Hill is in much demand – with the vast catchmentxa0area stretching from Newcastle to Crossmaglen to Newtownhamilton.

The Covid 19 crisisxa0has highlighted the importance the public place on our NHS and their staff. Although thexa0weekly Clap for Carers has ended, the general public are continuing to show their supportxa0for our frontline health workers, both in the NHS and the private sector.

UNISON Newry and Mourne Branch Secretary, Catherine Farrell said: “Our members havexa0received well deserved praise from the public as to the way they have worked and continuexa0to work in our hospital throughout the pandemic. We are continuing to meet wit Trustxa0 Management to plan the way forward for the return of services to Daisy Hill.”