A & E must stay at Coleraine – TUV
04 January 2011
Statement by TUV Leader, Jim Allister:-
“I am alarmed to discover that plans are afoot to further downgrade and ultimately remove Accident and Emergency cover from the Causeway Hospital at Coleraine.
“The Northern Trust has established a ‘Project Management Team’ to ‘reconfigure’ emergency services at the Causeway Hospital. Make no mistake, this is official speak for closure of emergency facilities at Coleraine. Already, we have seen a rundown in the Causeway’s treatment of fractures with referral on to Altnagelvin being a frequent occurrence. Now, there is a plan afoot within the Board to ultimately remove all emergency services.
“This shameful plan must be stopped because of the danger in which it will place residents and visitors within the wide area currently served by the Causeway Hospital, including Ballycastle and Ballymoney. It is unthinkable that there should not be adequate emergency services to cater for the Triangle Area and large swathes of North Antrim. A situation which would be exasperated by the huge influx of visitors to the north coast in the summer months. To say that those in need of emergency aid must travel over inadequate roads to Antrim, Belfast or Londonderry is monstrous.
“Almost 2 years ago ( http://www.jimallister.org/default.asp?blogID=1438 ), when it was decided to move the Microbiology laboratory, I warned of the roll out of a plan to downgrade the Causeway Hospital, with an attack on its acute services. This move to ‘reconfigure’ emergency services is, I fear, the latest and to date most dangerous phase of this flawed strategy.
“I am, therefore, calling on the Health minister and the Board to immediately clarify their intentions and to reverse forthwith any plan to further downgrade emergency services at the Causeway Hospital.”
