Judicial review into decision to remove Daisy Hill maternity

EDDIE Curtis has confirmed that a judicial review will be sought into the decision to temporarily remove maternity services from Daisy Hill Hospital.

Mr Curtis, who is a member of the SOS Daisy Hill group, made the comment in the wake of the decision expected to be made by the Trust at a full meeting of the board due to be held today (Tuesday)

The relocation of maternity services from Daisy Hill to Craigavon A and E is the only one topic of conversation scheduled for the meeting, with Mr Curtis, who has requested speaking rights, expected to publicly announce that a judicial review will be sought against what many view as the first step to the permanent removal of maternity services from the hospital.

"I am going to announce it the very end of my comments to the Trust at the end of meeting said Eddie. “There will be a protest held outside Monaghan Row.

The JR will be issued to the High court. We will be announcing it publicly for the public to know that a Judicial review has now been lodged with the High Court.

" I am going bring it to their attention that a judicial review will be lodged officially after this meeting.”

"The judicial review is not from SOS Daisy Hill , it from a young woman who I have meet with. She is a young mother who is expecting."

It is understood that the judicial review is being lodged against the Trust by a legal firm on the part of a Newry woman who is pregnant.

Her home is only 15 minutes away from Daisy Hill Hospital but 45 minutes from Craigavon A and E.

The woman has not been told where she will give birth, has not been asked about her views of moving births to Craigavon although the Trust says it is contacting woman due to give birth after November 23.

The prospect of the move has apparently caused the woman great stress and anxiety with her being very concerned regarding the risk to herself and her baby that a trip to Craigavon would entail.

The judicial review aims to challenge the decision taken by the Trust on a number of grounds with the ultimate hope of overturning the decision.

However the Trust is not unaware of their obligations with regards the proposed move of maternity services from the hospital with both an equality impact and rural needs assessment and the prerequisite criteria needed to allow services to resume at Daisy Hill also tabled as topics of discussion at the meeting.

However Mr Curtis remains sceptical regarding the proposition to remove maternity services given the fact that a local woman recently had to be redirected to the Ulster Hospital after being referred to Craigavon from Accident and Emergency.

"I would say that they are going to say that after taking advice from the Department of Health and the strategic board it has been decided that maternity services at Daisy Hill are no longer safe, therefore they are going to transfer the births to Craigavon. It was in the press already Craigavon could not accept a girl out of Newry and they had to send her to the Ulster. How are they going to handle 1700 if they cannot handle one?