Ritchie Calls For Reassurance Over Down Health Care

SDLP South Down MP and MLA Margaret Ritchie has asked the Health Minister Edwin Poots for reassurance regarding services at the Downe Hospital and cross-border services at Daisyhill Hospital, following the publication of the Compton Review into Health and Social Care.

South Down MP Margaret Ritchie has expressed her concerns about the new health proposals.

Speaking in the debate following Edwin Poots’s statement on the Review, she pressed for clarification regarding the safeguarding of services at the two hospitals.

She also asked what North-South discussions had taken place about cross-border services being provided from Daisyhill and was reassured that ministers and officials from both governments had met to discuss the issue.

Following the debate, she said: “It is imperative that Downe and Daisyhill hospitals are protected as they offer a top-flight service to the people in their catchment area and, in the case of Daisyhill, a prime opportunity to supply services to the Republic.

“While we welcome the Compton Review and acknowledge that the team behind it sought to do a thorough job in seeking to propose ways and means to improve our health and social care services, we also recognise that, though heavy on analysis, the report is scant in detail and there are a lot of questions currently unanswered.

“I have concerns particularly about the models proposed which would involve the reallocation of resources from hospitals to the community and voluntary sectors.

“The Minister has repeatedly said that our health and social care services must be safe, sustainable and resilient and, if our GP and community services are to be resilient enough to cope with this reallocation, adequate funding must follow.

“Regarding hospital services, I will be continuing to lobby on behalf of Downe and Daisyhill as decisions are made on which services are provided where," added Ms Ritchie.