Statement by TUV Cusher councillor Keith Ratcliffe:
“The decision of the Southern Trust to slash the number of beds at Daisy Hill from 107 to just 40 is reprehensible. It is no wonder that the hospital has difficulty with recruitment and retention of staff when these sort of actions are taken.
“Describing the move as an “interim measure” simply doesn’t wash. It is the latest in a long line of decisions by the Trust which has resulted in the stripping out of essential services at Daisy Hill.
“I share the concerns of medical professionals who have voiced their belief that this move will obviously have a knock on impact on other hospitals which are already under strain. Rather than working to any sort of long term strategic plan which takes into account all the health needs of the area, it increasingly looks like the Trust is slicing bits of provision at Daisy Hill. Eventually we will arrive at a position where the hospital will be a glorified health centre at the current rate. It is time for some honest from the Trust about the long term future of what I and many others continue to regard as something which is vital to the local area.”