United front in drive to restore Downe services

United front in drive to restore Downe services

5 August 2020

HEALTH campaigners have welcomed the new united front in the campaign to restore key services to the Downe Hospital.

Politicians, trade unions and the Down Community Health Committee worked alongside each other in lobbying the South Eastern Trust to restore emergency services at the Downpatrick hospital which is scheduled to happen on October 19.

In a throwback to previous campaigns, all of the district’s political parties and trade unions are now working alongside hospital campaigners to secure the future of the Downe and to argue for a range of new services.

Campaigners say while they will be keeping a watching brief to ensure that the hospital’s A&E reopens in October as planned, they are also conscious of the ongoing province-wide review of urgent and emergency care.

The review — commissioned by the Department of Health –  aims to establish a new regional care model for Northern Ireland with any future proposals subject to public consultation.

At a socially distanced meeting of the community health group in Killough last week, campaigners said that future proposals for the Downe arising out of the review could be crucial and potentially be the launchpad for a major new battleground.

Confirmation of the return of emergency services in October comes after it was revealed that over the past five years there has been a 10% increase in A&E attendances at hospitals across Northern Ireland.

Significantly, Department of Health figures reveal that the biggest increase — 24.3% — was at the Downe, with the number of patients increasing from 20,229 to 25,144.

Health campaigners say the figure represents another “strong, persuasive reason” why they must continue to fight for a local emergency department which is valued and needed.

They are delighted with the planned return of A&E services, suggesting that with the fastest growing emergency department in Northern Ireland, there is a “strong, logical statistical argument” for not only retaining the service, but enhancing it.

Health committee chairman Eamonn McGrady,revealed that analysis of increased attendances at emergency departments shows that the growth area is not Belfast, but at hospitals in the Southern (6.9%), Northern (14.2%), Western (11.7%) and South Eastern (13%) health trusts.

He added: “We know we are not home until the Downe’s emergency department is reopened in October and and we will all be keeping a watching brief.”

Mrs Anne Trainor said she was “more prepared than ever” to work harder for the Downe as she will never be able to repay the debt of gratitude that she owes the hospital and its excellent staff for helping her ill husband.

She also described a recent meeting with senior officials from the South Eastern Trust to discuss the return of emergency services to the Downpatrick hospital as “robust” and revealed she was left perplexed when health minister Robin Swann said health officials would “explore the feasibility” of reopening the department.

“This particular service has been part of the Downe Hospital for years. Its need has been proven. There was no need to explore the feasibility of anything,” she said.

Mrs Trainor said the outcome of the meeting with health officials was that politicians, the community and trade unions stood together in demanding the return of A&E provision.

She added: “This very much reminded me of the early days of the hospital campaign where everyone was saying the same thing. We won the case for the Downe but, from day one, administrators started to strip services from it.

“Over recent days what has given me the greatest heart has been the reaction of the politicians, the community and trade unions on the Downe Hospital issue.”

Mrs Trainor said she hopes that the unity will continue, insisting that when it comes to hospital services, the people of Downe are asking for nothing more than parity with those in other areas.

“There has been substantial underfunding in this district for many years and we need parity with everyone else alongside rural proofing as, for those in authority, the centralisation of services is still very much alive. Their attitude is that everything stops in Belfast,” she continued.

“But everything does not have to be centralised in the city. The Downe is a beautiful hospital but is being totally underused, yet it is one of the most modern of its kind. There is room to expand to increase service provision and we also want more consultants and staff alongside increased investment for student nurses.”

Mrs Trainor added: “There is total unity across the community on these issues and a strong defence of the Downe Hospital.

“The hospital is the single biggest issue in our district. There is strength in our unity and togetherness. It’s said that ‘united we stand, divided we fall’ but we have no intention of falling anytime soon.”