Newry and Armagh Sinn Féin MLA Megan Fearon has said that claims by the Southern Trust that the Fracture Clinic in Daisy Hill is not being targeted “are wholly misleading.”
The MLA raised the issue at the recent Board Meeting in Craigavon but the members and Trust Officers present refused to discuss it.
Subsequently, the Trust has said that the Fracture Clinic is currently provided from the Surgical Assessment Unit and that there were no plans to move this Clinic to Craigavon.
The Sinn Féin elected representative said: “What the Southern Trust have said about the current status of the Fracture Clinic in Daisy Hill Hospital is wholly misleading and must be challenged.
“Fracture Clinic patients have already been receiving letters informing them that their appointments are in Craigavon. Those who have phoned in seeking to have their appointments in Daisy Hill Newry have been told that the Fracture Clinic will be from now on in Craigavon.
“There is a serious lack of confidence and Trust in the Southern Health & Social Care Board and their comments about the Fracture Clinic compounds that lack of confidence. Myself and my colleagues will be straight seeking answers from senior Trust Officials in relation to this issue at the earliest convenience.”
Megan Fearon also said that most people will not be lulled into any type of false sense of security by the Southern Health & Social Cares recent announcement about a “regional summit” to take place to discuss the future of the Emergency Department in Daisy Hill.
She added: “People will not be lulled into any false sense of security. We had hoped that the Trust would have used this space prior to the “summit” to resolve staffing issues, but already what appears to be happening is a circling of the wagons by the Trust to ensure their original position remains.
“There now is a lack of trust for the Southern Health and Social Care Board. Rather than make attempts to reverse that, the Trust as I previously stated appear to be circling the wagons. That is unfortunate. The battle to protect services at Daisy Hill Hospital goes on”.
