Daisy Hill for life

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Daisy Hill for life

This page is to celebrate Newry city’s Acute Hospital, Daisy Hill. Join with us to speak up & celebrate Daisy Hill for life!

A page to (1) Celebrate Daisy Hill, Newry city’s Acute Hospital, and its staff and services; (2) Promote need for expansion of specialist acute services, staff, number of beds, & imaging equipment at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city for the future Strategically located on the Belfast-Dublin Trans European Network, Newry has excellent road and rail links and is connected to the major Port of Warrenpoint. DAISY HILL Hospital, Newry city is the longest established acute hospital in the Southern Trust and part of a network of 10 redesignated acute hospitals in Northern Ireland, all with 24/7 consultant–led A&E and 24/7 consultant-led maternity to provide a ‘seamless web of acute hospital care’ giving safe timely access to these ‘core’ services for all the population of Northern Ireland. (‘Developing Better Services’, 2003)

Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, a Queen’s University teaching hospital is located in the Newry, Mourne, South Armagh Locality which is, and has always been (since pre 2008) the largest locality of the five localities, with the greatest population and greatest need in the Southern Trust Catchment area.
‘Daisy Hill for Life’ page aims to promote the need for expansion of specialist acute services, staff, number of beds, and imaging equipment at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city for now and the future. Newry & Mourne LGD is projected to have the 3rd highest population in Northern Ireland of 118,500 by 2023 (Source: NI Statistics and Research Agency)

Daisy Hill is a respected Acute hospital and Queen's Teaching hospital in Newry and is currently in danger of the Southern Trust and Southern Commissioning Group's plan to remove Daisy Hill services and transfer them to a new hospital in Craigavon. This page is to share info and to help prevent proposed cuts to services and campaign for the capital expenditure for the new acute hospital in Newry as promised by Secretary of State Peter Hain in 2005, based on need and on accurate population projections. Lets keep it for our lives, and generations to come. Website: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/

11/04/2026

Centralisation of Hospital Services Away from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry is Causing Major Patient Access Problems for Newry Mourne and Down population

Council Meeting on 13 April 2026 Agenda Item (Patient Transport) Gives Councillors Opportunity to Discuss Impact on Ratepayers.

Even though approx 51% of Regional rates goes towards health (2023*) the Southern Trust’s centralisation policy to remove inpatient and outpatient key core services from Newry, Mourne & Down’s only Acute Hospital at Daisy Hill, Newry has meant that adults and children alike have been forced to travel to hospitals outside their local Newry Mourne Down council area to access vital health care services e.g. Craigavon, South Tyrone, Banbridge and Belfast.

To help some older residents and families’ access hospital services and appointments outside the Newry Mourne and Down (NMD) area, NMD Council’s Sustainability and Environment Committee are seeking approval from the Council for ratepayer funding for ‘Home 2 Hospital Initiative’ Patient transport scheme costing an estimated £45,000.

Ratepayers in all 7 District Electoral Areas in Newry Mourne and Down will be expected to PAY TWICE through local rates plus Regional rates for the patient transport scheme to help some people travel to Craigavon, Belfast and other places to access hospital inpatient and outpatient Services which have been withdrawn from, or are not now being provided in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry.

Regarding the ‘Home 2 Hospital Initiative’ the NMD website states: ‘the estimated cost of delivering the scheme across the 3 District Electoral Areas of Mourne, Slieve Gullion and Crotlieve is £45,000’. The scheme is only available to some older residents, and the four other District Electoral Areas (DEAs) are not included.

REGIONAL RATES PAY FOR HOSPITAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES INCLUDING TRANSPORT – NOT COUNCIL RATES

>*The Land and Property Services Rates Bill for 2023-4 states that; ‘51% OF YOUR REGIONAL RATE GOES TOWARDS HEALTH: (INCLUDING HOSPITALS).’
These Regional rates contribute to funds for the 6 providers of Hospital and Health care services - the Health and Social Care Trusts e.g. Southern Trust, NI Ambulance Service Trust. So, ratepayers in Newry Mourne and Down Council area are ALREADY PAYING Regional Rates for a range of essential public services including health.

>WHAT RATES PAY FOR (NI. DIRECT. GOV)

This proposed patient transport initiative by NMD Council attempts to address a problem created by Centralisation of Hospital services away from Newry by the Southern Trust, but according to Official website ni.direct. gov this type of patient transport service is not the remit or responsibility of local District councils so patient transport of this kind should NOT be funded by local district rates.

NIDIRECT. GOV ‘What rates pay for’ extract explains the difference between regional and district rates, showing that ratepayers have ALREADY PAID for hospital and social services, including transport, through their regional rates. (See below)

>‘Rates fund public services in Northern Ireland, both regional and local. Your rates bill includes the regional rate and the district rate. REGIONAL RATE: The regional rate is set annually. The rate applies in each council area in Northern Ireland. This pays for services including: education, EMERGENCY, HOSPITALS, law and order, roads, SOCIAL SERVICES and community development. All ratepayers contribute towards public services.’

>DISTRICT RATE: Each council sets an annual district rate for their area in Northern Ireland. This pays for LOCAL services including: arts, events and recreation, building control, leisure/community centres, environmental health, tourism and waste management.’

District Council proposed local rates spending plans should be used for purposes to enhance ratepayers IN their local area, NOT to access services outside the local area. Local District Council rates should not be used to subsidise Regional Travel services when a health service is changed or withdrawn from the Local Government district (locality).

REGIONAL PATIENT TRANSPORT SERVICE - THE NI AMBULANCE SERVICE PATIENT TRANSPORT SERVICE:

The NI Ambulance Service Trust website details a Patient Transport Service and Voluntary Car service available to help patients travel to hospital appointments.
The NIAS website states: ‘another DUTY the ambulance service undertakes is transporting the most vulnerable patients in our community to outpatient hospital appointments. We do this by utilising our Patient Transport Service and the Voluntary Car scheme’ The NI Ambulance Service website states that ‘Our Regional Non-Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre are happy to check on any transport queries you may have on the following number 028 7134 7134.’
- - -
The NMD Proposed 'Home to Hospital’ transport scheme is a DUPLICATION of a service already being provided and paid for as regional service for the whole of NI and is already the responsibility of the Health and Ambulance Trusts and subject to Equality rules and the Climate Change Act NI 2022.

COMMUNITY TRANSPORT PARTNERSHIPS FOR LOCAL (NOT REGIONAL) TRANSPORT

Another Regional patient transport scheme for each participating LOCAL area is the Rural Community Transport Partnerships. (See end for info).

CENTRALISATION OF HEALTH SERVICES IS CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR PATIENTS ACCESSING HOSPITALS OUTSIDE NEWRY MOURNE AND DOWN

Real-world economic and accessibility difficulties are faced by ordinary people forced to access health services in hospitals outside Newry Mourne and Down.

Patient access problems are a symptom of a hospital services centralisation policy that hits individual residents hard, that affects everyone -adults and children alike, of all ages and disabilities and must be addressed by Health Providers like Southern Trust, and government departments like the Dept. of Health who are enabling the removal of hospital services from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry.

Government and Health Trusts should carry out a proper population needs assessments and revisit the centralisation of Health Services away from Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry and re-instate these services.

>CONCLUSION

The proposal seeking approval for an extended ‘Home to Hospital’ Patient transport scheme funded by local rates for an estimated £45,000 for three District Electoral Areas out of seven in NMD, will have to go before councillors for discussion at a meeting of the full Newry, Mourne and Down council when it meets on MONDAY 13TH APRIL, 2026 @ 6:30pm in Mourne Room, Downshire Civic Centre, Downpatrick.

This meeting is an excellent opportunity to bring the issues that people are facing to the Council so that the councillors, Chief executive and staff can raise this issue with the Government and those pushing for centralisation away from NMD the third largest council in NI.

Councillors should fight against the centralisation of services away from Daisy Hill acute Hospital, Newry City and lobby for the return of Newry’s Daisy Hill acute Hospital inpatient and outpatient services.
If residents do not have to travel to access hospital services (both inpatient and outpatient) OUTSIDE of Daisy Hill and Newry Mourne and Down -then extended patient transport schemes would not be needed.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

According to Census 2021, LGD Data, the Population of Newry Mourne and Down in 2021 was 182,074 with 68,397 households.
This is the 3rd largest Local Government District population in NI, and Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry was designated as a much needed major acute hospital in 2003.

Newry Mourne and Down Council covers a large land mass area of 162,827.72 hectares, the 4th largest land mass area in NI.

Please share to spread the word. Thank you.

ENDS

BACKGROUND AND LINKS
NMD Council Website : https://www.newrymournedown.org/councilcontinues-support-for-home-2-hospital-initiative

PATIENT TRANSPORT SERVICES AVAILABLE / LINKS

https://nias.hscni.net/services/patient-transport-service/ and NIAS/Voluntary Car Service (NIAS provides patient transport services for people attending outpatient appointments or treatment at hospital with a medical need for transport.)

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/rural-community-transport-partnerships
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/rural-community-transport-partnerships-down-district-accessible-transport

NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN COUNCIL AREAS COVERED
Annacloy, Annsborough, Ardglass, Ballyhornan, Ballykinlar,Ballynahinch,Bishopscourt,Bryansford, Castlewellan, Clough, Crossgar, Darragh Cross, Dundrum, Drumaness, Kilclief,Kilcoo,Killough,Killyleagh, Loughinisland, Maghera, Newcastle, Saintfield, Seaforde, Shrigley, Spa,Strangford.

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/rural-community-transport-partnerships-newry-and-mourne-community-transport

Rural Community Transport Partnerships - Newry and Mourne Community Transport: Phone:028 3026 5635
NEWRY & MOURNE AREAS COVERED
Annalong, Bessbrook, Crossmaglen, Forkhill

If you prefer to read this on the Daisy Hill for life blog - pls see this : https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/tag/centralisation/

LINKS INFO ENDS HERE

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04/01/2026

WE WANT OUR SERVICES BACK! & ARE ENTITLED TO GET OUR REGIONAL EMERGENCY HOSPITAL SERVICES BACK AT DAISY HILL HOSPITAL NEWRY!
The hardworking SOS Daisy Hill Committee who consistently speak up for Daisy Hill Hospital will soon be attending a meeting with the NI Assembly Health Committee on 8th Jan 2026.

There is plenty of evidence to support the need to return the Regional Emergency Services of (1) ACUTE Stroke (in an ACUTE STROKE UNIT in Daisy Hill),
2) Emergency Surgery and
3) Critical Care High Dependency UNIT services, which were unfairly removed from Daisy Hill Newry without the proper Regional Consultation or proper procedures.
There are also Rural Needs Act implications for Newry Mourne and Down the 3rd largest Local Government District in NI (with an estimated resident population of c. 183,429 in 2023) regarding removal of these Regional Emergency services.

This area has the population volumes (see below) but has not been given the right to reply through meaningful Regional PUBLIC consultation, which is necessary for removal of Regional Emergency services- (not local Health Trust or targeted consultation).

The wider community and representatives have constantly shown strong support for the calls for the complete return of these Regional Emergency services, along with the appropriate Capital Investment funding which has been withheld from our acute hospital at Daisy Hill, Newry and the wide community it serves.
Please share if you can to show support for Daisy Hill Acute Hospital Campaign into the new year 2026, thank you!

LINKS
See the links below for more info on each of these Regional Emergency Services which must be restored to Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry for equality, Human Rights, for Rural Needs and to save lives.

*EMERGENCY SURGERY
https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2025/05/24/emergency-surgery-the-haves-and-the-have-nots-n-ireland/

*ACUTE STROKE SERVICES
https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/largest-rural-population-in-ni-newry-mourne-and-down-local-gov-district-must-have-immediate-access-to-life-saving-999-emergency-stroke-care/

*CRITICAL CARE HIGH DEPENDENCY SERVICES
https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2025/08/12/regional-life-saving-critical-care-service-high-dependency-unit-removed-from-daisy-hill-by-southern-trust-without-regional-public-consultation/

*AREA HOSPITAL NOT GENERAL HOSPITAL

Newry’s Daisy Hill is entitled to be categorised as an Area Hospital and not a General Hospital in the most recent Hospital Network Consultation: ‘Creating a Network for Better Outcomes’ The reasons are explained in the link below.
https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2025/10/06/reasons-why-daisy-hill-in-newry-city-is-entitled-to-be-an-area-hospital-explained/

ENDS
+++++++++++
Newry Mourne And Down LGD had an estimated resident population of c.183,429 children and adults and 1,626,674 visitors In 2023.

Please share if you can to show support for Daisy Hill Acute Hospital Campaign into 2026, thank you!

01/01/2026

Thank you to all the staff of Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry city. Wishing you all Peace and Happiness for this New Year 2026.

30/11/2025

Newry, Mourne & Down was 3rd Highest Visitor Destination in 2023 After Belfast & Causeway

Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry as the only Acute Hospital in the Newry Mourne and Down Area is entitled to be (1) re-designated as an Area Acute Hospital and (2) put back into the NI Critical Care Network for the estimated population of c. 1.8 million residents and visitors (2023 figures)

Official statistics show that the 3rd highest estimated number of visitors who stayed overnight in NI in 2023, stayed in Newry Mourne and Down with 1,626,674 visitors. The top destination was Belfast, and 2nd highest was Causeway Coast and Glens. (Source: NISRA). These visitors also contribute to the economy of NI.

1st was Belfast with 5,031,220 overnight visitors
2nd highest Causeway Coast and Glens with 4,009,765 overnight visitors;
3rd highest Newry Mourne and Down had 1,626,674 overnight visitors
4th highest, Fermanagh and Omagh with 1,199,145 overnight visitors

These NISRA statistics also show that the highest estimated number of visitors who stayed overnight outside Belfast, were in the three Local Government Districts, (including Newry Mourne and Down) which have been overlooked for inclusion as Area Acute Hospitals in the 2024/5 Dept of Health proposals in ‘Hospitals: A Network for better outcomes’. (Consultation)

These visitor figures along with all the Regional Road Accident Casualties at Local Government Level show that in 2023 there were nearly 7 million overnight visitors (6,835,584) in the above three Local Government Districts whose designated acute hospitals, Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry, South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen and Causeway Hospital, Coleraine, which WERE NOT designated as necessary Area Acute hospitals in the ‘Hospitals: a network for better outcomes.’

THE IMPORTANCE OF REGIONAL POPULATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT WHEN DESIGNING HEALTH SERVICES

When deciding where Area Acute Hospitals and Regional Level 1
Consultant Led 24/7 365 Accident and Emergency Medical and Surgical Services should be provided, the Department of Health should have included, as well as local LGD population numbers, the estimated number of visitors, including domestic visitors who travel and stay overnight in each of the individual 11 LGDs each year - who may also be in need of timely admission to an Acute Area Hospital for Emergency Medical or Surgical services while staying or visiting there.

REGIONAL POPULATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT BY LOCAL GOV. DISTRICT NEEDED FOR HOSPITAL NETWORK

The DoH has a Duty of care to make sure that when planning Regional Inpatient Area Acute Hospital Networks that an accurate up to date Regional Population needs assessment at each Local Government District (LGD) council level is carried out.

This will ensure that all locals and visitors alike, in Rural as well as Urban Areas, who have accidents on our Roads, on farms, sports, schools, homes, businesses, etc always have equality of access to timely 365 24/7 Level 1 Consultant - Led inpatient Accident and Emergency Medical and Emergency Surgical Services nearby in an Acute Area Hospital in the new Network of Hospitals.

NEWRY MOURNE AND DOWN LGD HAD AN ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION OF c.183,429 CHILDREN AND ADULTS AND 1,626,674 VISITORS IN 2023

In 2023 Newry Mourne and Down LGD had an estimated resident population of c.183,429 children and adults and 1,626,674 visitors (who had an associated expenditure of c£79 million) staying overnight. Daisy Hill hospital, Newry is the only designated Acute Hospital in the Newry Mourne and Down Area.

Because Daisy Hill, Newry has not yet been designated an Area Acute hospital in the newly proposed hospital network, an estimated population totalling over 1.8 million locals and visitors alike in the Newry Mourne and Down LGD will not have any certainty to equality of access to timely 365 24/7 Consultant Led Emergency Medical or Emergency Surgical Acute Services, Consultant-led Maternity, Critical care services (ICU/HDU) inpatient beds, Diagnostics (MRI, CT scans.)

If Daisy Hill Hospital is not re-designated as an Acute Area Hospital and put back into the NI Critical care Network as it is entitled to be, the estimated population of c. 1.8 million residents and visitors, as well as Road Accident casualties will have worse not better outcomes, because of the decisions proposed in this network of hospitals consultation decided by the DoH and Health Trusts.

Please Share to spread the word. Thank you.

Link to blog for more articles like this: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2025/10/06/reasons-why-daisy-hill-in-newry-city-is-entitled-to-be-an-area-hospital-explained/

05/10/2025

REASONS WHY DAISY HILL IN NEWRY CITY IS ENTITLED TO BE AN AREA HOSPITAL - EXPLAINED
The Dept. of Health will announce the outcome of the Hospital Network Public Consultation soon to reveal if Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry has been renamed as an Area Hospital. Four evidence based reasons for Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry to be renamed as an Area Hospital are: (1) Historical Basis (2) Population size (3) Large land area and (4) Strategic location.

~~~REASON 1: HISTORICAL BASIS -FACTS: NHS HOSPITAL 1949 AND 1 OF 9 EQUAL ACUTE HOSPITALS DESIGNATED IN 2003

Daisy Hill in Newry was made an NHS Hospital in 1949, and was designated by Government as one of a REGIONAL Network of nine EQUAL status major Acute Hospitals in NI in 2003. These decisions were made then, because of the large Population and large land area size, after a DOH Regional Consultation, ‘Developing Better Services’.
In 2003 it was a Ministerial Decision by Minister Des Browne to designate Daisy Hill in Newry as one of the 9 Acute Hospitals of Equal standing. All of these nine hospitals are vital to ensure timely access to CONULTANT LED 24/7 Emergency Surgical and Emergency Medical AND MATERNITY Services WITHIN ONE HOUR, to the entire population of NI no matter where they choose to live. * (Ref 1)

~~~REASON 2: POPULATION SIZE –FACT : NEWRY & MOURNE – THIRD HIGHEST POPULATION in NI

Using official NISRA 2026 Estimated population figures, NEWRY & MOURNE (FORMER LGD) IS RANKED THIRD HIGHEST POPULATION OF THE 26 FORMER COUNCILS IN NI.
Ranking out of 26 councils /Name of Council/ 2026 est. Population size
1st out of 26: Belfast LGD -290,808 people
2nd out of 26: Lisburn LGD - 136,843 people
3rd out of 26: Newry & Mourne LGD - 111,508 people
4th out of 26: Derry LGD - 110,577 people

This 3rd place ranking for Newry & Mourne shows its very high population across the NI Region of 26 councils.

NEWRY & MOURNE IN THE TOP FOUR in NI FOR OVER 5O YEARS

NISRA Statistics also show that SINCE 1971 NEWRY & MOURNE LGD HAS RANKED IN THE TOP 4 HIGHEST POPULATIONS IN NI FOR OVER 50 YEARS WITH BELFAST, LISBURN (GREATER BELFAST) AND DERRY. So Newry & Mourne is growing still further and is entitled to have an Area Hospital.
Important Note: NI Health Care Trusts are still officially organised under the 26 council model.**(Ref 2)

~~~REASON 3: LAND MASS AREA – FACT: NEWRY & MOURNE – THIRD LARGEST IN NI

NEWRY & MOURNE (Former LGD) IS RANKED THIRD LARGEST OF THE LAND MASS areas of the 26 former councils in NI. Using official NISRA Land Measurements, Fermanagh has the largest land measurement with 1699.3sq km. Omagh is second (1129.9sq km) and Newry & Mourne is third largest land measurement with 898.3 sq.km. ***(Ref3)

~~~REASON 4 : LOCATION– FACT: NEWRY’S STRATEGIC LOCATION

Newry city is the main Gateway to NI, strategically located on the Belfast-Dublin Trans European Network, Road, Rail, and Sea economic corridor where hundreds of thousands travel through yearly.
Newry is also the Gateway to the three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty which comprise the designated Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark which also attract many thousands of visitors travelling through the Newry area annually. Newry has excellent road and rail links, and is connected to the major Port of Warrenpoint. Daisy Hill ACUTE Hospital is located at this major population settlement in Newry.

>CONCLUSION - SOLUTIONS TO HOSPITAL NETWORK REFORM

Acute Hospital status, Population, Land mass and location are the 4 main factors to determine the entitlement for an Area Hospital for Daisy Hill, Hospital, Newry in the proposed regional network.

This Hospital is entitled to have a full range of specialist acute services and inpatient beds, along with 24/7 consultant led Accident & Emergency, with emergency surgery and consultant led maternity services just the same as the other named Area Hospitals, in the proposed Network of Hospitals.

To ensure equality of timely access to Consultant Led 24/7 365 Regional inpatient acute Services like Accident and Emergency surgical and Medical services like Heart and Stroke, and consultant led maternity services all Area Hospitals should be selected based on where the people (population) actually live.

The choice of location of Area Hospitals should not be made on the size of the hospital but should take into account the size of the population at each of the former Local Government Districts. The figures should be standardised population sizes and the land mass area to be covered by the fire and rescue service and ambulance service at each former local government district level, not just at a Regional level.

Doing this will show that Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry city is entitled to be an Area Hospital. The facts speak for themselves.

Please continue to share to spread the word. Thank you.

REFS / BACKGROUND

*Ref 1 Developing Better Services (The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety) Minister of State Desmond Browne, 2003.
** Ref 2 THE ORGANISATION OF NI HEALTH CARE IS STILL UNDER THE 26 COUNCIL MODEL
Operational areas in Health trusts still remain under the 26 council model. The former 26 Councils or Local Government Districts (LGDS) or localities are still named in legislation and remain as the Operational area of NI Health Trusts (Establishment Order 2006) and Commissioning Groups.

***Ref 3 Statistics on Population and Land Mass are from Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

Please continue to share to spread the word. Thank you.

Link to blog for more articles like this: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2025/01/26/daisy-hill-newry-is-entitled-to-be-in-the-area-hospital-category-in-the-doh-hospital-network-public-consultation-2024-25/

12/08/2025

REGIONAL LIFE SAVING CRITICAL CARE SERVICE (High Dependency Unit) REMOVED FROM DAISY HILL BY SOUTHERN TRUST WITHOUT REGIONAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION

The Southern Trust has now officially withdrawn the High Dependency Unit at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry and seriously ill patients needing Level 2 High Dependency Care are now sent to Craigavon Hospital instead.

WHAT IS HIGH DEPENDENCY CARE AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

It was a Ministerial decision by Mr Edwin Poots MLA to open a new 10 bed High Dependency Unit in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry in 2012, because of the number of seriously ill patients (volumes) needing timely access to Critical Care that only a HDU or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) can provide. (Ref 1)

Daisy Hill’s High Dependency Unit was situated on Level 3 as can be seen from the picture taken in 2014.

Speaking in 2014 about the Daisy Hill High Dependency Unit (HDU) Dr Shane Moan Consultant Respiratory Physician at DHH stated in Southern Trust promotional material,: “It’s a Ten bedded unit with 2 isolation rooms, It’s spacious, airy, it’s for the delivery of care to Level 2 patients, those are patients who are seriously and critically ill, who require close monitoring, high level of nursing and medical care. Patients are able to receive high quality care and we will recognise deteriorations earlier, hopefully avert the need for patients to be transferred to the intensive care unit. Or if the patient does need to be transferred to the intensive care unit, we will be more advanced in plans for transfer at an earlier stage, so then it’s safer.”

>‘STRENGTHENING THE HIGH DEPENDENCY UNIT (HDU) AT DAISY HILL HOSPITAL’ WAS A KEY OBJECTIVE FOR DEPT. OF HEALTH DHH PATHFINDER PROJECT

The Southern Trust decision to withdraw this Regional Service (High Dependency) goes against the Department of Health’s own 2021 Project Objective for Daisy Hill Hospital to have its HDU strengthened.

The Department of Health wrote: ‘OBJECTIVE: ‘TO IMPROVE UNSCHEDULED AND ACUTE MEDICAL SERVICES ON THE DAISY HILL HOSPITAL SITE BY STRENGTHENING THE HIGH DEPENDENCY UNIT’. (Quote from the Department of Health, Health and Well Being 2026 -Delivering Together Progress Report 2021: Development of The Daisy Hill Pathfinder, p106) (Ref 2).

It is also stated in DOH Health and Wellbeing 2026 Delivering Together Progress Report 2021 that under the Regional project ‘Development of The Daisy Hill Pathfinder’ the Department were prepared to invest nearly £6 million pounds to develop Daisy Hill Hospital services, especially it’s High Dependency Unit. (Ref 2).

DAISY HILL HIGH DEPENDENCY UNIT NOW REMOVED BY SOUTHERN TRUST

In complete contrast to the DOH decision above, the Southern Trust website, the News page on 31 July 2025 shows that the Southern Trust has now removed the HDU from Daisy Hill. This change was based on recommendations from their own Southern Trust ‘DHH Expert Panel’ report. Page 1 of this Expert Panel report stated:

“1.The Provision Of A Unit With A Remit To Provide Level 2/High Dependency Care... on The Daisy Hill Hospital Site CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED ON THE BASIS OF HISTORIC OR CURRENT WORKLOAD” (Ref 3)

However looking at the evidence from Department of Health officially recorded high case volumes in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital’s High Dependency Unit from 2014 -2020, Both historic and modern Regional Critical Care statistics CONFIRM THAT DAISY HILL ACUTE HOSPITAL IN NEWRY HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF INPATIENTS needing High Dependency Critical Care services in all of NI each year since April 2014 to end March 2020. (Ref 4)

These Regional Critical Care Stats show 18,709 patients over six years received life saving critical care in Daisy Hill HDU. That is an average of 3,118 seriously ill patients being cared for in Daisy Hill specialist Acute Hospital HDU Yearly. (Ref 4)

The Royal Victoria Hospital was second highest with a 14,775 total inpatients in HDU for the same six years (2014 to end March 2020), or a yearly average of 2,463 seriously ill patients needing High Dependency care.

More recent DoH figures for the year 2019/20 show that 3,642 critically ill patients in need of timely access to Critical Care Services were admitted to the High Dependency Unit in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry. (Ref 4)

That equates to an average of 70 EXTREMELY ILL PATIENTS A WEEK who needed HDU Critical Care services in Daisy Hill in 2019/20.

EVIDENCE > DAISY HILL HOSPITAL’S HIGH DEPENDENCY UNIT HAD THE HIGHEST PATIENT VOLUMES OF ALL HDUs in NI FROM 2014 -2020

Evidence and statistics from Department of Health Regional Critical Care statistics (above) contradicts the ‘DHH Expert Panel’ report’s statement on page1: “1.the provision of a unit with a remit to provide level 2 /high dependency care... On the daisy hill hospital site cannot be justified on the basis of historic or current workload”

>According to Department of Health Regional Critical Care statistics DAISY HILL Hospital in fact had the HIGHEST NUMBER/volumes of patients’ in HDUs IN ALL of NI for 6 CONSECUTIVE YEARS.

>CONCLUSION – DAISY HILL ACUTE HOSPITAL HIGH DEPENDENCY UNIT MUST BE REINSTATED IMMEDIATELY

The Dept of Health is in control of Regional services based on the entire population, and Regional services have to be FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY provided across NI. The Southern Trust should not have withdrawn this vitally important life saving Regional service, High Dependency Unit from Newry’s Daisy Hill Acute Hospital without Regional public consultation.

All Trusts must follow the DoH objectives, statistics and do things properly, follow the chain of command and follow correct procedures when dealing with Regional public services and dealing with public money.

It is vitally important; that reasons given for removing Critical Care and other Regional Services from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry must be informed by accurate volumes of inpatients taken from DOH Hospital Inpatient Statistics and Population Needs Assessment. All specialist and Regional services are planned, managed and delivered on a REGIONAL basis through the
Department of Health so there must be Regional Public Consultation before any permanent changes are made to any Regional Service including HDU Critical Care services in Daisy Hill Hospital.

The Dept. of Health DHH Pathfinder Project invested time and money ‘to improve unscheduled and acute medical services on the DHH site by Strengthening the High Dependency Unit’ – so it is not in the Southern Trust remit to undo this good work.

In summary - justification for the need for a High Dependency Unit in Daisy Hill could not be clearer. The reasons include the DOH officially recorded high case volumes in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital’s High Dependency Unit from 2014 -2020 and official backing from the Department of Health as shown in the Delivering Together Progress Report 2021.

Daisy Hill Acute Hospital High Dependency Unit must be reinstated immediately.

Please share to spread the news. Thank you

REFERENCES

Ref 1: Link
https://www.4ni.co.uk/northern-ireland-news/149485/new-unit-opens-at-daisy-hill-hospital

New Unit Opens At Daisy Hill Hospital 21/08/2012. ‘Health Minister Edwin Poots has officially opened a new High Dependency Unit at Daisy Hill Hospital’.

Ref 2: Delivering Together Progress Report 2021: Development Of The Daisy Hill Pathfinder 2021’, (page 106) (Department of Health for NI):

Ref 3: ‘Daisy Hill Hospital (DHH) Expert Panel – Chair’s Final Report to the Chief Executive (Southern Trust) - 21 February 2024’:

Ref 4: Background Factual Information/Statistics: Source Department of Health (DoH) Last updated: April 2021.
Specialist Services Daisy Hill Hospital Critical Care High Dependency Unit Inpatient Activity Numbers:
April 2014- March 2015: 2,558 inpatients
April 2015- March 2016: 3,066 inpatients
April 2016 - March 2017: 3,046 inpatients
April 2017 - March 2018: 3,165 inpatients
April 2018-March 2019: 3,232 inpatients
April 2019- March 2020: 3,642 inpatients

Critical Care Unit capacity across Northern Ireland is defined in two ways: level two (high dependency [HDU]) and level three (intensive care [ICU]). 2020
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