BURNS UNIT CLOSURE WILL PUT LIVES AT RISK - CLAIM
Burns unit closure will put lives at risk - claim
OMAGH bomb victims have pleaded for an assurance on the future of the life-saving burns and plastic surgery unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
And Donna Marie McGillion, of Killyclogher, Omagh, who was scarred for life in the devastating blast, is demanding to know why the plastic surgeon who gave her such hope is leaving his job. The young wife received life saving treatment at the unit and she believes that health cutbacks have forced the only burns specialist to quit his job
Last week Dr. Khaiad Khan resigned from his job as a locum heading the burns unit at the RVH to take up a new post in England.
Medical staff have warned that burns victims here may have to be flown to England for treatment.
West Tyrone Assemblyman, Mr. Joe Byrne, has expressed his dismay at what he describes as the 'imminent closure' of the RVH's specialist burns and plastic surgery unit and has claimed it will put lives unnecessarily at risk.
After being contacted by Donna Marie's father, Mr. Byrne arranged for them to meet Dr, Joe Hendron, chairman of the Assembly's Health and Public Safety Committee and Health Minister Bairbre de Brun to outline their concerns.
Donna Marie said: "Dr. Khan has provided me, along with other victims of the Omagh bomb, with life saving treatment.
"This is a problem which effects all of Northern Ireland. If this unit is allowed to close we will have to travel to England to receive the same quality of care and I feel discriminated against."
Donna Marie also said she felt frightened of the future without Dr. Khan, and was 'furious' that the hospital had let him go.
"He was eventually driven away by the hospital's lack of resources and its apparent apathy towards the burns unit," she claimed. "Of all places Northern Ireland needs an effective specialist burns unit. We may be in a time of peace but, sadly, that could change in a moment."
Donna Marie's husband, Garry, was also treated at the unit and said that the hospital should be offering the sort of money and resources to make the unit an attractive specialty.
Mr. Byrne said he was 'extremely dismayed' at the possible closure of the unit and its relocation at the Ulster Hospital, away from the trauma centre, because of a lack of funding.
"This unit played a critical role in the treatment of Donna Marie who was badly injured in the Omagh bomb outrage and the high standard of treatment she received at the unit saved her life.
"Donna Marie's father, Malachy. contacted me when he heard of the news and told me that he was concerned and that he wished, along with his daughter, to express their views directly to the Assembly's Health Committee and Health Minister," he said.
Concluding Mr. Byrne said: "This specialist unit also carried out reconstructive breast and it is a disgrace that Dr. Khan, who dots not want to leave Northern Ireland, believes he cannot continue with his work because of a shortage of funding from the NHS.
"It is vitally important that this unit is kept open at the RVH on the same site as the trauma centre. We stated our case directly to the Health Minister, and we call upon her to use some of the Department's funding allocation to ensure that this specialist unit, which has played an invaluable role in saving lives stays open and is not lost," Mr. Byrne said.
OMAGH bomb victims have pleaded for an assurance on the future of the life-saving burns and plastic surgery unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
And Donna Marie McGillion, of Killyclogher, Omagh, who was scarred for life in the devastating blast, is demanding to know why the plastic surgeon who gave her such hope is leaving his job. The young wife received life saving treatment at the unit and she believes that health cutbacks have forced the only burns specialist to quit his job
Last week Dr. Khaiad Khan resigned from his job as a locum heading the burns unit at the RVH to take up a new post in England.
Medical staff have warned that burns victims here may have to be flown to England for treatment.
West Tyrone Assemblyman, Mr. Joe Byrne, has expressed his dismay at what he describes as the 'imminent closure' of the RVH's specialist burns and plastic surgery unit and has claimed it will put lives unnecessarily at risk.
After being contacted by Donna Marie's father, Mr. Byrne arranged for them to meet Dr, Joe Hendron, chairman of the Assembly's Health and Public Safety Committee and Health Minister Bairbre de Brun to outline their concerns.
Donna Marie said: "Dr. Khan has provided me, along with other victims of the Omagh bomb, with life saving treatment.
"This is a problem which effects all of Northern Ireland. If this unit is allowed to close we will have to travel to England to receive the same quality of care and I feel discriminated against."
Donna Marie also said she felt frightened of the future without Dr. Khan, and was 'furious' that the hospital had let him go.
"He was eventually driven away by the hospital's lack of resources and its apparent apathy towards the burns unit," she claimed. "Of all places Northern Ireland needs an effective specialist burns unit. We may be in a time of peace but, sadly, that could change in a moment."
Donna Marie's husband, Garry, was also treated at the unit and said that the hospital should be offering the sort of money and resources to make the unit an attractive specialty.
Mr. Byrne said he was 'extremely dismayed' at the possible closure of the unit and its relocation at the Ulster Hospital, away from the trauma centre, because of a lack of funding.
"This unit played a critical role in the treatment of Donna Marie who was badly injured in the Omagh bomb outrage and the high standard of treatment she received at the unit saved her life.
"Donna Marie's father, Malachy. contacted me when he heard of the news and told me that he was concerned and that he wished, along with his daughter, to express their views directly to the Assembly's Health Committee and Health Minister," he said.
Concluding Mr. Byrne said: "This specialist unit also carried out reconstructive breast and it is a disgrace that Dr. Khan, who dots not want to leave Northern Ireland, believes he cannot continue with his work because of a shortage of funding from the NHS.
"It is vitally important that this unit is kept open at the RVH on the same site as the trauma centre. We stated our case directly to the Health Minister, and we call upon her to use some of the Department's funding allocation to ensure that this specialist unit, which has played an invaluable role in saving lives stays open and is not lost," Mr. Byrne said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1587
Published Date: 23-Nov-00
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