Daisy Hill Hospital: Staff notified of further changes

Staff at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry, County Down, have been notified of more proposed changes to services at the hospital.

The changes include creating an emergency department-led short-stay unit.

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust said the plans will ensure patient safety.

But the Daisy Hill Hospital Future Group said unnecessary deaths will result from the decisions.

Talks have been ongoing between senior management and staff over the past 48 hours.

The announcement comes after the hospital's stroke service was withdrawn on 31 May.

The trust said it will support staff's psychological safety, maintain a 24/7 emergency department and provide alternatives to hospital admission close to home.

All acute stroke patients are now being diverted to Craigavon Area Hospital.

Recruitment and retention of medical staff has been a major issue at the hospital.

Last week it was reported that a shortage of consultants at Daisy Hill meant delivering inpatient care in general medicine was at risk.

All acute stroke patients are now being diverted to Craigavon Area Hospital.

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BBC News NI understands dates have been set for the closure of some wards in mid-July.

A staff member who contacted BBC News NI said: "Daisy Hill Hospital as we know it is no longer."

They added: "Some of us are unsure where we will be this time next year."

Stabilise staffing

To deal with staffing issues, the health trust said a regionally agreed interim plan, developed with the support of its medical team, has been shared with all staff.

A chief operating officer has also been appointed for the Daisy Hill site.

The trust said its initial focus is to stabilise staffing over the summer months in anticipation of a more permanent solution.

It said it is aiming to prevent and reduce inpatient medical admissions by developing more same-day emergency care through:

• Expansion of the Direct Assessment Unit into a full Ambulatory Medical Unit seven days per week

• An augmented ED with a 23-hour short-stay unit

• A new 40-bed, 36-hour medical receiving unit

• Redirection of a small number of patients with particular conditions to other hospitals

• Development of more virtual hospital services to identify deterioration of inpatients living in the community

• Enhancement of home rehabilitation and acute care at home in the Newry and Mourne area

The Daisy Hill Hospital Future Group has called for emergency meetings with senior figures in the Department of Health (DoH) and senior management of the trust.

The group said it is demanding "immediate intervention" to ensure acute inpatient medical care can continue to be delivered.

Chairman Dr Conor Patterson said previous engagement with the trust had been "disingenuous and misleading".

"Daisy Hill is just the tip of the iceberg and not just an issue for the people of this area," he said.

Health trust chief executive Dr Maria O'Kane said she acknowledged some staff were are "anxious" about the anticipated changes.

"Whilst there may be changes to the way we all work, there is a job and work for everyone and indeed many opportunities through these new, innovative ways of working," she said.

The trust said paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, mental health and disability services continue to operate as usual at Daisy Hill Hospital.