Following the leaking of a hard-hitting response by Doctors to the South Eastern Health Trust proposals on the accident and emergency unit in Downpatrick Hospital, Cllr Cadogan Enright demanded the withdrawal of the Trusts Proposals.
Cadogan Enright said “The coordinated response by the majority of GP’s operating in the Downpatrick, Crossgar, Killileagh, Newcastle, Dundrum and Ardglass areas makes it clear that local experienced medical professionals regard the Trusts “preferred option” for Downpatricks A&E department as both unsafe and unsustainable with no precedent anywhere in N.I.’s Health system. And these are the people the Trust are expecting to run their preferred option.”
“It is extraordinary that the Trust should bring forward proposals for the A&E system to be run by local GP’s without having had GP’s as part of the team that examined the options available. Issues highlighted include lack of Training, questionable manning levels, no previous example of an A&E of this kind before, lack of X-ray or other support, ambulance service protocols and errors in the presentation of statistical evidence. The A&E proposals need to immediately be withdrawn by the Trust, as they have new been exposed as being unworkable.” Said Councillor Enright.
“As an active member of the Down Community Health Committee I have been aware that the local medical profession sees the Trusts proposals as seriously flawed. I repeatedly challenged the Trust response given at the big public meeting in the Downshire where they claimed to have local doctors “on board” with their A&E proposals. At the councils meeting with the Trust last month, I again challenged their claim to have the support of local doctors, and they were forced to retract this claim saying only locums, who were on the Trust payroll, were supporting the A&E proposals. It is clear now that that the trusts proposals have been exposed as worthless.” Said Cadogan Enright.
“Downpatrick’s hospital was finished only last year at a cost to the taxpayer of £64 million pounds and the original plan needs to be delivered in full by the Greater Belfast based management and board. These proposals are nothing to do with expected future cut-backs in the Health Service, but are simply due to mis-management and the perception that Northern Ireland ends at Carryduff.” Concluded Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright
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TO VIEW THE LEAKED RESPONSE DOCUMENT CLICK HERE
To see more on the campaign to save the Downe click here
Press Cuttings: Plan must be abandoned.