Statement from Peter Wilson, TUV candidate for Bangor Central:
“I’d like to take a moment to comment on a critical issue facing our community right now – the state of the Ulster Hospital Emergency Department.
“The Emergency Department was yesterday under a lot of strain. There were 138 patients in the department, with 53 of them waiting for admission. This was an extremely concerning situation, and it meant that, if you had a non-life-threatening condition, you may have been in for a very lengthy wait.
“Given the situation, it is crucial that we keep our local Minor Injuries Units open. The closure of the Bangor MIU has dealt a significant blow to our community, as well as placing our hard-working doctors and nurses under serious pressure. We need to reverse this closure as soon as possible. Bangor MIU was temporarily closed due to Covid but the powers that be have failed to reopen the Unit and have listed it for permanent closure. This is not good enough. One does wonder whether this decision was made purely on a cost-cutting basis as the permanent movement of Minor Injuries Services to the Ulster Hospital does nothing to serve the people of North Down.
“I understand that there are no easy solutions to these problems, but I’m committed to doing everything I can to support our community and ensure that we have access to the healthcare we need.”