‘Lives will be lost’ if maternity services are removed from Daisy Hill says mother

By Steve Malone

A NEWRY mother was teary eyed as she spoke of how the decision of an ambulance crew to refuse taking her premature baby to Craigavon but instead went to Daisy Hill Hospital saved his life.

Sinead Cole’s son turned six-weeks-old on Monday, but she is too aware things could have gone tragically wrong, had the ambulance crew did what they were told.

Mrs Cole was supporting the public rally to save maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital following the news that the services face a temporary consolidation to Craigavon Area Hospital starting on November 23, due to consultant obstetrician shortages.

“On September 14, I went into spontaneous labour at home and I gave birth to our little son at 26-weeks and six weeks of gestation,” said Mrs Cole.

“You can imagine the shock and distress that came over me and my husband at the house and calling 999. Every second waiting on that ambulance seemed like an hour.

“I was trying to warm the baby, stimulate him and give him mouth to mouth waiting for the paramedics to arrive. When they arrived, they too were very shocked and distressed and even more so when they were told to take our baby to Craigavon Area Hospital in the back of their ambulance with no equipment to support our premature baby.

“Thankfully the paramedics were experienced and made their own judgement, they cut the cord and ran our baby up to Daisy Hill, which is only five minutes away from our home, rather than the 40–50-minute journey they were expected to take. There are no ifs buts or maybes, our baby would never have made it to Craigavon alive.

“We got the treatment in Daisy Hill, and we are very grateful to the staff who treated our baby immediately. For a premature baby, he needed to be warmed and he needed oxygen to stabilise him, none of those could have been given to him properly in the back of an ambulance.”

Patricia McKeown, Regional General Secretary of Unison said that temporary usually means permanent there has been consequences when maternity services were removed from Causeway hospital.

“Temporary closure recently happened at the Causeway hospital, with the removal of maternity services, they say it is temporary, but no, it is permanent,” said Mrs McKeown.

“The result of it is babies being born in hospital carparks, babies being born in the back of ambulances. Mothers in distress, fragile new lives put at risk because those who run our health service do not give a damn about the health of ordinary people.”

Mrs Cole said that the last six weeks have not been easy, but she is so thankful not to be a grieving mother.

“There have been plenty of bumps in the road, but we are so grateful that our son has been given the chance to fight for his life, so precious to us and he means so much to our whole family,” Mrs Cole said.

“The loss of Daisy Hill maternity department could and will cost lives, precious babies and mummies like me will have a detrimental effect on families. We are not statistics; we should not be treated like figures on a spread sheet. Our health service should not rely on good luck because that is what our story came down to. The women, babies and families deserve better where they can give birth close to where they live.

“I hope together we can make a difference and save the Maternity Department at Daisy Hill.”

Patricia McKeown, Regional General Secretary of Unison said: As a union we have campaigned for a health service properly staffed and resourced at the point of need for all the people. We are not opposed to change but when the only change that happens is to close or to remove, then is it any wonder that people get angry and become totally disillusioned with politics. It is for the people to take back our NHS.

Newry has fought for Daisy Hill for decades and looks like we will continue fighting.

“I fail to understand where you cannot get the right type of staff to keep the maternity service going when the same group in the medical profession can find lots of work in Kingsbridge Hospital on the Lisburn Road in Belfast, if you are prepared to pay for it.

“It is not only rich people who use it, because ordinary people are going to Credit Unions, because if you need health care or your loved one needs it, you will do what you need to do to get it. The promise of the National Health Service is free at the point of need, which we already pay for.”