Daisy Hill Hospital: Changes would see more than 100 beds lost

Daisy Hill Hospital has lost its emergency general surgery provision and its stroke service over the past year

Proposed changes to services would see a reduction in more than 100 beds at Newry's Daisy Hill Hospital.

It was revealed in a staff briefing by Chief Executive of the Southern Health and Social Care Trust Maria O'Kane.

It comes as hundreds of people attended a public meeting organised by a campaign group concerned at staffing and service issues.

It lost its stroke service last week and some inpatient services were said to be "at risk" due to staff shortages.

On Thursday evening the Southern Trust said the bed number figure was part of a presentation to staff last week which outlined a number of options offering alternatives to inpatient medical admissions.

The trust said it continued to develop and refine the proposals and will consider feedback from staff and regional healthcare colleagues.

'Long-term plan'

Wednesday's event was originally scheduled as a committee meeting of the Daisy Hill Emergency Surgery SOS group.

It normally attracts 20 to 30 people but after the past week's headlines the attendance was easily ten times that.

Despite efforts to accommodate everyone in a function room at The Bank complex in the city, at least 20 people had to wait in an adjacent corridor.

Among those in attendance were health workers, politicians and members of the public keen to hear details of the campaign group's strategy aimed at securing commitments from the Southern Health Trust that would protect services at the hospital.

The strategy will see the ramping up of public protests and rallies, enhanced political engagement and pressure on the trust to address ongoing issues.

Francis Gallagher of Daisy Hill Emergency Surgery SOS group said the meeting was about mobilising public support.

Francis Gallagher (centre) addressed the packed meeting in Newry

"We have a long-term plan, a five-year plan and strategy that we are asking the public here to endorse," he said.

"Overall this is about mobilising the people of the whole area because we are very concerned."

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• Emergency surgery to move permanently from Newry

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'Daisy Hill isn't going to close'

Newry and Armagh MP Mickey Brady from Sinn Féin and Stormont assembly member Justin McNulty from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) were also in attendance.

Mr Brady said the trust must provide stability. "It seems they lurch from crisis to crisis," he said.

"The trust really needs to get its act together. We've had numerous meetings with the trust where we've been told this, that and the other.

Mr Brady said there had been a negative approach to Daisy Hill but said it was not going to close.

"What we want to ensure is that Daisy Hill is not downgraded," he explained.

In a statement, Southern Trust Chief Executive Dr Maria O'Kane said: "This is a very difficult time for staff but we are encouraged by their enthusiasm to work with us to modernise and improve services for patients."

'No jobs will be lost but there may be changes'

Lydia Teague, Brian McKeown and Sharon Stewart work at Daisy Hill and were among a large number of staff members at the meeting.

"I work on the stroke rehab ward and the news that we received last week was absolutely shocking that the hospital would be reduced by so much and that all of our jobs would be at risk," Mr McKeown said.

The Southern Health Trust said "our Chief Executive has advised on all staff briefings and communication that no jobs will be lost but there may be changes to the way we all work and indeed many opportunities through these new, innovative ways of working."

Daisy Hill workers Sharon Stewart, Lydia Teague and Brian McKeown were among staff who attended the meeting

Ms Stewart said staff were still trying to find out information.

"I've worked in stroke rehab from 1999 and it's such a shock to the system to be told the recent news. I'm just trying to find out what is happening."

Ms Teague said: "They've said that there are changes within the trust and we are fearful for the impact that it will have on the Newry and Mourne area."

Sheree and Tracey Byrne were among the members of the public who came to the meeting due to fears about services, including stroke services, at the hospital.

"We just want to know what is going on," said Sheree Byrne. "We feel like we've been told lies.

"At the last meeting we were told that this wouldn't happen. So it feels like there's been backtracking over what has been said."

Tracey Byrne is also worried. "It's very concerning. This is a big town and then you look at the surrounding area, Crossmaglen, Kilkeel, Warrenpoint, there's a lot of people this impacts."

Tracey and Sheree Byrne were among concerned members of the public to attend the meeting

In her statement, Dr O'Kane, said: "From late July we will have limited substantive medical consultants working at Daisy Hill and this could potentially impact on the number of other doctors we are allocated in August.

"Our initial focus is to immediately stabilise staffing for the summer months in anticipation of a more permanent solution.

The trust, she said, was working to develop its plans "as we have received more data and considered feedback from our own trust staff and regional health and social care colleagues".

"Through these plans we aim to prevent and reduce inpatient medical admissions by developing more same day emergency care and enhancing community services to better ensure that people who don't need to be in hospital can be appropriately supported at home," she continued.

"We will offer alternatives to inpatient medical admissions."

Dr O'Kane said they had asked for regional support with senior medical cover to stabilise staffing as an interim measure "to mitigate immediate patient safety concerns and maintain onsite acute medical service provision".

"This would also help us to meet education requirements to support junior doctors," she said.

"We have also requested a project to address the ongoing workforce challenges faced by all local hospitals in Northern Ireland and secure their future as an important part of the regional acute hospital network."