Huge turnout at Health Trust meeting

As previewed in our report on the threat to services at Downe Hospital, there was a huge turnout at the Downpatrick consultation meeting staged by the South Eastern Health Trust to gauge public response to their proposals for  “reform and modernisation” of local healthcare.

The Trust wants to shut a 15-bed ward at the new Downe hospital, downgrade the hospital’s accident and emergency unit by allowing GPs to replace night-time A&E cover, and restructure psychiatric services avalable locally.

There was a good report on Radio Ulster (available for the next week, at 2:12:52) which captured the public mood – almost universally concerned at the proposals and deeply sceptical of the bona fides of the Trust. It includes comments from a Newcastle-based doctor concerned at his patients having to travel for over an hour to secure treatment while acutely ill. Down News gives more detail and a good set of photographs in their report.

Formal responses to the consultation should be made in writing by 27 August 2010 and can be emailed to: consultation@setrust.hscni.net

Alternatively, write to:
Mr Hugh McCaughey, Chief Executive, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
c/o Programme Management Office, Ground Floor, Trust Headquarters
Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, BT16 1RH

All responses should be entitled ‘Consultation’ and include your name and address. The key consultation documents can be found on the Trust website.

Let us know what you think?