Chief insists future of Causeway Hospital is “secure” amid Trust surgery shakeup with Antrim

Causeway Hospital, Coleraine

The future of Causeway Hospital in Coleraine is “secure”, the chief executive of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has stated.

Jennifer Welsh was speaking during a public meeting at The Braid, in Ballymena, on Thursday, when the Trust board approved a recommendation on the future of general surgery which will see emergency surgery take place at Antrim Hospital and planned operations at Causeway Hospital.

The chief executive also stressed the Trust’s “unwavering and continuing commitment to Causeway Hospital”.

She said: “Our vision and ambition for Causeway remains. We have an unwavering and continuing commitment to the hospital, our workforce and wider community.

“Causeway Hospital’s future is secure. It is and will remain an important part of our Trust’s acute network and an important part of the region’s acute hospital network. This proposal does not change that.

“We are also fully committed to maintaining a 24/7 emergency department and acute in-patient services at Causeway.”

Emergency general surgery within the Northern Trust is the treatment of acute abdominal issues such as appendicitis, bowel obstruction, hernia, soft tissue infections requiring treatment or bleeding.

“If we do not take action now and plan for service change, we are facing an inevitable collapse. It is the reality with which we are faced.”

She acknowledged that “an overwhelming majority” of respondents do not want to see general surgery removed from Causeway Hospital and have asked if the Trust has not listened to people’s concerns.

“We understand many people will be disappointed with this proposal. We accept the majority of people who responded are not in favour of change but the comments and feedback we received have been invaluable.

“It is vital we are transparent with the public and staff with any potential service change to give people an opportunity to examine our thinking and ask questions.

“While the decision we came to is not what everyone wants, as a board, we need to do what is right for our patients and staff.”

She went on to say that the Trust has the “luxury of time so that any transition can be implemented in a carefully managed way”.

“We do not want to wait until we are in a crisis before we take any actions.”

She continued: “We have very clear ambitions around Causeway Hospital. I want to reassure our community, Causeway is and will remain a vital part of our acute hospital network.”

She highlighted recent investment of £4m to “enhance services at Causeway Hospital”, including a new MRI scanner, which will be in operation from September.

Gillian Traub, director of operations, told the meeting many respondents believe the proposal will “result in the beginning of the end and close the emergency department” at Causeway Hopsital.

“That could not be further from the truth. We are committed to retaining 24/7 ED. We are not proposing to remove emergency services from Causeway. A senior surgeon will be on site 24/7. Patients who have surgical issues will be assessed. Patients who require immediate intervention will require transfer to Antrim Hospital.”

Gillian stressed there is “no reason for anyone to take themselves to Antrim ED rather than Causeway”. She indicated some patients may require transfer and they will “go straight into a surgical unit”.

She added: “We remain conscious of pressures in Antrim. Our plan is to increase surgical beds.” She also said care home beds in the community will be increased.

Consultant surgeon James Patterson, said:

“One major issue that has come up is patient safety. People want to be sure they will be able to access the same high quality care. Causeway ED will be very much open for business as usual.

“If someone needs admitted to a surgical bed, we will arrange transfer to Antrim. Major trauma services are only provided in the Royal Victoria Hospital. Patients may go directly to the Royal Victoria Hospital or may have a period of stabilisation in one of our hospitals. Reconfiguration of surgery does not change this.”

He reiterated that “Causeway’s future is secure and that includes 24/7 ED”.

Jacqui Reid, director of human resources, said there will be no job losses. although some staff may be required to “move site”.

In a statement issued by SOS Causeway Hospital, a campaign group, chair Gemma Brolly, branded the decision by the Northern Trust as “a complete betrayal of the community”.

She said: “We knew this was going to happen. This decision not only betrays the people but further damages relations with public service bodies and processes, including the very concept of public consultations.

“It should be noted that only 29 people out of a total of 1,415 consultation responses were in favour of this move. This is absolutely shocking. We will remind the Health Minister of his commitment now to meet with us, and we will lobby heavily and widely.

“We will continue to liaise with colleagues and organisations echoing our many concerns and are already in the midst of planning a public meeting with various other actions to accompany this.

“Make no mistake, this is a bump in the road. We are here for the journey, to fight for our local health services and essentially for common sense.”