Press Release - Crisis at Daisy Hill Hospital

UNISON Head of Bargaining and Representation in the Health sector, Anne Speed‎ has responded with alarm to the news from the Southern Health Trust that services at the Emergency Department are to be curtailed.

She said “we are only too well aware of staff shortages right across the Health service and we know that on a given day last week there were 38 patients waiting for beds at Daisyhill Hospital.”

“We warned the Department of Health and the Social Care Board over the last number of years that a lack of workforce planning would lead to this crisis.  Neither seems to have learned from what happened at the Belfast City Hospital where a lack of senior medical staff led to the closure of its Accident and Emergency department.”

“The A&E at Daisyhill is in much demand and staff tell us that transferring demand to Craigavon Hospital will only move the crisis on and create similar problems at that hospital. The catchment area is vast from Newcastle to Crossmaglen and Newtownhamilton and restriction of services will be a significant loss to the community.  Given the significant geographical spread, can patient safety be guaranteed?  There will be a clear knock on effect on staff in nursing and support services and we have yet to get information as to the impact on them.  We have no doubt that the community will strongly resist this development.”

“Efforts at the Trust to recruit senior medical staff must be given maximum support from within the health system and this requires urgent and focused attention from the Department of Health.”

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For further information please contact:  Anne Speed on 028 90 270190  or 07904 427133 or a.speed@unison.co.uk

For local media interviews please contact Petra McCreesh on  07754570419