Newry: Aontú Raises Serious Concerns About Maternity Services at Daisy Hill Hospital

Aontú rep Sharon Loughran has raised serious concerns about maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital.

The Newry based rep says:

“In recent weeks there has been heightened concern about the situation regarding maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital. Patients have been diverted to Craigavon Hospital. Some maternity staff at Daisy Hill report being told at a meeting to prepare for the imminent withdrawal of maternity services. The Southern Trust deny this last point but cite ‘growing staffing challenges’ as being responsible for patients going to Craigavon Hospital”.

“An assurance has been given by the Southern Trust that maternity services at Daisy Hill will be stabilised and reinforced. This is to be welcomed. However, we in Aontu still have concerns. Staff shortages are blamed for the present situation. We know that staff shortages have been blamed for the withdrawal of services at Daisy Hill and elsewhere in the past. Is the Southern Trust doing everything it can to retain staff and entice back those who have left or retired? Recent events, and poor communication between management and staff seem to have demoralised rather than reassured. There needs to be robust plans to recruit new staff. Have some staff, such as anaesthetists, been overstretched to cover elective surgery and maternity? If so, should this not have been planned for?”.

“The Causeway Hospital in Coleraine lost its maternity services last year, according to the Dept of Health, due to recruitment issues and falling birth numbers. We do not agree that this should have happened.  In Daisy Hill the number of births rose each year from 1,624 in 2018, to 2,006 in 2022. An increase of almost 24%. Meanwhile births at Craigavon fell each year from 3,911 in 2018, to 3,096 in 2022. A decrease of 21%. These figures suggest a need to expand maternity services in Newry, not the other way around. Falling births is not an issue. As for recruitment or deployment of staff, that is the Trust’s job.”.

“Finally, there seems to be a disconnect between the Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, and the Southern Trust management team. When he states in the Assembly that he is not happy with the way that the Trust has handled things in recent weeks, then how can the people of Newry, South Armagh and South Down have confidence in that same Trust?”

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