‘Local families deserve honesty, clarity and certainty’ - Wilson questions Health Minister

Following questions to the Minister of Health in the Assembly Chamber, Gareth Wilson MLA has said local families deserve far greater certainty about the future of maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital.

Mr Wilson said:

'When I raised concerns about maternity services at Daisy Hill back in June, the experience of mothers was dismissed as an inconvenience. We now know that the reality was far more serious.

Hundreds of local women and their families are now facing the prospect of travelling to Craigavon for maternity services, and many people feel let down after repeated assurances that Daisy Hill's future was secure.

The truth is that this situation did not develop overnight. It is the result of longstanding workforce pressures that have been allowed to worsen over a number of years.

While the Minister has again stated that he wants to see inpatient maternity services restored at Daisy Hill, local people need more than warm words. They need evidence that there is a credible and deliverable plan to bring these services back.

Confidence has been badly shaken. Every time a service is suspended, local people are told that it is temporary. Understandably, many families now want to know what guarantees exist that this service will actually return.

Daisy Hill Hospital is not simply a hospital for Newry. It serves a large rural population across Newry and Armagh and South Down. For many expectant mothers, increased travel times at such an important stage of their pregnancy will cause considerable stress and anxiety.

During Question Time, I asked the Minister what concrete evidence he could provide that consultant-led maternity services have a viable long-term future at Daisy Hill. That is the fundamental question local people want answered.

I will continue to work with local campaigners, healthcare professionals and families to ensure that pressure remains on the Department and the Southern Trust to restore these services as quickly as possible.

The people of this area have fought too hard for Daisy Hill Hospital to accept a gradual erosion of services. We need to see urgent action on recruitment, clear timelines and regular public updates on progress.

Local families deserve honesty, clarity and certainty. Above all, they deserve a maternity service that is available in their local hospital.'