Lagan Valley Councillors Visit Downe A&E Department
17 January 2012 |
Posted by Jim Masson |
COUNCILLORS from Lisburn City Council made a late night visit to the Emergency Department at the Downe Hospital at the invitation of the South Eastern HSC Trust to study the overnight urgent care arrangements.
A South Eastern HSC Trust spokesperson said the new Out Of Hours GP-led scheme has proven successful in making the unit safe and sustainable.
Lagan Valley Hospital ED in Lisburn is currently closed from 8pm to 9am due to a shortage of doctors, but the Trust is currently finalising options for the future, with the preferred option similar to the Downe model.
Councillors met the two GPs on duty in the Downe and said they were impressed with the fact that 97% of patients continue to have their treatment there at the Downe Hospital.
From left: Hugh McCaughey, Chief Executive, South Eastern HSC Trust; Adrian Donaldson, Director of Corporate Services, Lisburn City Council; Cllr Brian Bloomfield; Cllr Brian Heading, Mayor; Cllr Arthur Carson; Cllr Stephen Martin, Chairman of the Corporate Services committee; Alderman Allan Ewart; Seamus McGoran, Director of Hospital Services, SE HSC Trust; Charlie Martyn, Medical Director, SE HSC Trust.
