RESIDENTS TO REJECT HOSPITAL CUTBACKS
Residents to reject cutbacks
By Rosie Uffindell
Social Affairs Reporter
THE cutting of acute services at the Mid-Ulster and Whiteabbey hospitals, announced yesterday, is likely to be met with intense public protest.
Leading campaigners are expected to call meetings next week to discuss strategy. Health Minister John McFall can expect a lobbying campaign every bit as fierce and informed as those to save services at South Tyrone and the Downe have been.
Thousands of people have already backed the campaign to maintain all acute services at the Mid-Ulster and Whiteabbey Hospitals.
For many of these residents, the setting up of minor injuries units at the Mid-Ulster and Whiteabbey and in Larne and Ballymena does not address the fundamental issue of access to acute hospital care.
Specifics have yet to be agreed, but it is thought the units would be run by highly qualified nurse practitioners and linked by tele-medicine technology to the major accident and emergency site at Antrim.
It is also important to emphasise both the Mid-Ulster and Whiteabbey Hospitals would keep their outpatient, diagnostic and day procedure units and the Mid-Ulster its oral surgery department, while services at Ballymena's Braid Valley Hospital and Larne's Moyle Hospital would be enhanced.
But for the residents' groups represented at the meeting yesterday, the board's decision failed to address their concerns.
"It's about the convenience of a local facility, that's what it boils down to," Cllr Frank Kendry, vice-chair of Magherafelt District Council said.
"Transport around here is not good, it is poor and patchy.
"Please God it never happens again, but we have seen what happened in Omagh and how vital the hospital was in their tragedy.
"Unless they leave acute services in Magherafelt, they are only window-dressing."
Betty Foster, chair of the 'Save the Mid' committee, said the building of the Toome bypass would do nothing to help people living in the area's "many mountainous roads".
"West of the Bann, if they take services away, we have nothing," she said.
"Our next nearest hospital is Antrim or Altnagelvin, there is nothing in between.
"It takes 52 minutes to drive from Pomeroy to Antrim. We timed it, and that wasn't in the rush hour."
And assembly member John Kelly said the board's decision had failed to take account of reality.
"Mid-Ulster is an agricultural area," he said.
"The loss of, a service like accident and emergency, where farming accidents are commonplace in the summertime, would be devastating for our community."
Yesterday's decision has highlighted the need for improved ambulance services and road infrastructure in the area.
The area's health watchdog, the Northern Health and Social Services Council, yesterday pleaded with the board to make sure ambulance services were accessible and its staff given additional training.
"Research shows the most important work is done when the ambulance gets to your door, not however many minutes later you get to hospital," council chair Hugh Ewing said.
And Chief Executive Stuart MacDonnell conceded there were transport problems and pledged to keep up the pressure on the government to improve the road infrastructure.
But he maintained the fundamental decision was the right one for the community.
"This decision is good news for people within the northern board area," he said.
But for many campaigners, the fight is a long way from over.
As Leslie Weir of the Whiteabbey Hospital Action Committee put it, "I hope the board will not hope we will go away". "The fight will go on, with much more venom this time"
By Rosie Uffindell
Social Affairs Reporter
THE cutting of acute services at the Mid-Ulster and Whiteabbey hospitals, announced yesterday, is likely to be met with intense public protest.
Leading campaigners are expected to call meetings next week to discuss strategy. Health Minister John McFall can expect a lobbying campaign every bit as fierce and informed as those to save services at South Tyrone and the Downe have been.
Thousands of people have already backed the campaign to maintain all acute services at the Mid-Ulster and Whiteabbey Hospitals.
For many of these residents, the setting up of minor injuries units at the Mid-Ulster and Whiteabbey and in Larne and Ballymena does not address the fundamental issue of access to acute hospital care.
Specifics have yet to be agreed, but it is thought the units would be run by highly qualified nurse practitioners and linked by tele-medicine technology to the major accident and emergency site at Antrim.
It is also important to emphasise both the Mid-Ulster and Whiteabbey Hospitals would keep their outpatient, diagnostic and day procedure units and the Mid-Ulster its oral surgery department, while services at Ballymena's Braid Valley Hospital and Larne's Moyle Hospital would be enhanced.
But for the residents' groups represented at the meeting yesterday, the board's decision failed to address their concerns.
"It's about the convenience of a local facility, that's what it boils down to," Cllr Frank Kendry, vice-chair of Magherafelt District Council said.
"Transport around here is not good, it is poor and patchy.
"Please God it never happens again, but we have seen what happened in Omagh and how vital the hospital was in their tragedy.
"Unless they leave acute services in Magherafelt, they are only window-dressing."
Betty Foster, chair of the 'Save the Mid' committee, said the building of the Toome bypass would do nothing to help people living in the area's "many mountainous roads".
"West of the Bann, if they take services away, we have nothing," she said.
"Our next nearest hospital is Antrim or Altnagelvin, there is nothing in between.
"It takes 52 minutes to drive from Pomeroy to Antrim. We timed it, and that wasn't in the rush hour."
And assembly member John Kelly said the board's decision had failed to take account of reality.
"Mid-Ulster is an agricultural area," he said.
"The loss of, a service like accident and emergency, where farming accidents are commonplace in the summertime, would be devastating for our community."
Yesterday's decision has highlighted the need for improved ambulance services and road infrastructure in the area.
The area's health watchdog, the Northern Health and Social Services Council, yesterday pleaded with the board to make sure ambulance services were accessible and its staff given additional training.
"Research shows the most important work is done when the ambulance gets to your door, not however many minutes later you get to hospital," council chair Hugh Ewing said.
And Chief Executive Stuart MacDonnell conceded there were transport problems and pledged to keep up the pressure on the government to improve the road infrastructure.
But he maintained the fundamental decision was the right one for the community.
"This decision is good news for people within the northern board area," he said.
But for many campaigners, the fight is a long way from over.
As Leslie Weir of the Whiteabbey Hospital Action Committee put it, "I hope the board will not hope we will go away". "The fight will go on, with much more venom this time"
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0387
Published Date: 18-Sep-98
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