Belfast could be brought to standstill if maternity is not brought back to Daisy Hill hospital

DAISY Hill Save Our Services spokesman Francis Gallagher has warned that Belfast City Centre will be brought to a standstill if that is what it takes for their message to hit home.

Mr Gallagher was one of the many speakers at the public rally, which attracted thousands of people on Sunday, where they walked from Marcus Square in the City up to Daisy Hill Hospital to give thanks and protest at the decision to remove maternity services. The front of the march were at Camlough roundabout with the back end still on Hill Street.

“This is a serious situation, and I am worried because unless a miracle happens, they will take away our world class maternity department at Daisy Hill,” said Mr Gallagher,

“The Southern Trust has prepared their board meeting, their plans are in place, and it is going to happen at the beginning of November. You have to be aware of what the future holds because there are difficult times ahead because it is not just our maternity unit that will go, it will be our A&E as well, it will be next on the chopping block.”

The public rally had music, singing and rapping by local musician’s, Ed Curtis thanked all the local businesses that made the rally possible and thanked the trade unions, political representatives MLA’s and councillors, including NMDDC chairman Glynn Hanna.

Mr Gallagher spoke of yesterday’s [Monday] letter that was delivered to Stormont by a joint hospital campaign committee.

“What we will be saying is give more power back to the staff of the hospitals, give power back to the staff, the patients and give them their own budget and make the department of health accountable to the people,” Mr Gallagher said.

“The department of health and the Southern Trust are not accountable, and the institutions Stormont are not accountable to people. There needs to be radical change, and this is what is probably going to happen.

“This shouldn’t be the health minister’s decision because it cuts across all different departments, it cuts across the department of agriculture because of the rural network and road to Craigavon, and the Rural Needs Act and we are not getting the equality of treatment because we live out in the country. This needs to go to the Joint Authority Executive in Stormont.

“If they close the maternity and then come for A&E, then we will hold every one of the Ministers in Stormont to be held responsible for this. It has been happening over many of years, they took our Stroke services, our Emergency General Surgery and it is time now for everyone to step up to the plate.”

Mr Gallagher said that Sunday’s public rally was only the start of the fight to make sure maternity services return to Daisy Hill saying that the public have been treated disgracefully but the Department of Health.

“We have many options and one of the options is that we can ask farmers and the hauliers in the district and we are going to make Belfast City centre come to a standstill, because this has to be brought to Belfast as well,” said Mr Gallagher.

“Keep hopeful, this fight has only begun.”