Daisy Hill for life, Hospital Road, Newry (2026)

A page to (1) Celebrate Daisy Hill, Newry city’s Acute Hospital, and its staff and services; (2) Promote need for expansion of specialist acute services, staff, number of beds, & imaging equipment at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city for the future Strategically located on the Belfast-Dublin Trans European Network, Newry has excellent road and rail links and is connected to the major Port of

Warrenpoint. DAISY HILL Hospital, Newry city is the longest established acute hospital in the Southern Trust and part of a network of 10 redesignated acute hospitals in Northern Ireland, all with 24/7 consultant–led A&E and 24/7 consultant-led maternity to provide a ‘seamless web of acute hospital care’ giving safe timely access to these ‘core’ services for all the population of Northern Ireland. (‘Developing Better Services’, 2003)

Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, a Queen’s University teaching hospital is located in the Newry, Mourne, South Armagh Locality which is, and has always been (since pre 2008) the largest locality of the five localities, with the greatest population and greatest need in the Southern Trust Catchment area.
‘Daisy Hill for Life’ page aims to promote the need for expansion of specialist acute services, staff, number of beds, and imaging equipment at Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry city for now and the future. Newry & Mourne LGD is projected to have the 3rd highest population in Northern Ireland of 118,500 by 2023 (Source: NI Statistics and Research Agency)

Daisy Hill is a respected Acute hospital and Queen's Teaching hospital in Newry and is currently in danger of the Southern Trust and Southern Commissioning Group's plan to remove Daisy Hill services and transfer them to a new hospital in Craigavon. This page is to share info and to help prevent proposed cuts to services and campaign for the capital expenditure for the new acute hospital in Newry as promised by Secretary of State Peter Hain in 2005, based on need and on accurate population projections. Lets keep it for our lives, and generations to come. Website: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/

30/07/2026

‘This is OUR Health survey’ Last chance to have your say –closes tomorrow Fri 31st July 2026.

The Southern Trust and the DoH have shown by their permanent withdrawal of 24/7 Consultant- Led Emergency Surgery for children and adults alike, Acute Stroke and High Dependency Beds and Units and “temporarily” withdrawn Consultant-led Maternity services, that they do not want to continue to provide specialist Acute Hospital services or inpatient beds in Daisy Hill, Newry now or in the future.

The Southern Trust Annual Account Reports over the years shows that they want Capital money from the DOH only for Redevelopment of Craigavon hospital for its long term future.

These Southern Trust Plans of withdrawing Consultant- led acute inpatient Emergency Services like Surgery and Stroke from Daisy Hill are contrary to the Climate Change Act 2020, Rural Needs Act 2016, Human Rights Act, Convention on the Rights of the Child, Fair Treatment and Employment Act, and needs to be addressed once and for all.

>Question 2 is the most important Question in this ‘This is Our Health’ Postcode Survey as it asks individuals: ‘If the health service could guarantee you something, what would you want that to be?

>Please fill in the survey especially Question 2 and Question 4 and write whatever matters to you most.
>We have to let the DoH know cos if we don’t reply in large numbers, the DOH will use this ‘This is Our Health’ Postcode Survey as proof that we as individuals in this Postcode area are happy with the planned centralisation of acute hospital services and inpatient beds from Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry to Craigavon.

Quick links here > (1) Go to survey at : https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/hsc/this-is-our-health/consultation/intro/
And (2) open a second tab to this webpage for suggested reply if u need any ideas for Q2 and 4, copy the ideas from here onto the survey page >
> https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2026/07/26/sick-of-hospital-services-being-removed-from-daisy-hill-in-newry-the-dept-of-health-this-is-our-health-survey-closes-fri-31st-july-2026/

Please fill it in and pass it on.
Thank you.
ENDS

A final thought.
Using the DOH’s own definition (used in the Regional Stroke Consultation) of ‘Rural’ to mean “Areas outside a 30 minute travel time to Belfast” or “Derry” this means only the five proposed designated urban Area Hospitals will have 24/7 Consultant- led Medical and Surgical, Maternity and a full range of Acute Services, plus a Level 1 ED all secure for the long term.

25/07/2026

Are you sick of acute Hospital Services being removed from Daisy Hill in Newry? Do you think the Health Minister should do something about this?
This is your chance to write your views on the health service through the Dept. of Health’s ‘This is Our Health’ Survey. As mentioned before, it’s a short online survey to anonymously air what you really feel.
The survey asks 4 Questions, (and 6 optional Qs), but Question 2, and Question 4 are the only ones where you can speak up against the removal of services from Daisy Hill Hospital - so a reply idea for each is available here below and in the DH for life comments for this post.

Q.2. ‘If the health service could guarantee you something, what would you want that to be?

Reply Idea for Q.2:

Please guarantee that Daisy Hill in Newry is made into an Area Hospital with 24/7 Level 1 Consultant-led Emergency Services and Critical Care services maintained for the long term. Why? Because since 1971, Newry & Mourne has ranked in the TOP FOUR HIGHEST population centres in NI (of the 26 former local government districts)(Source NISRA).

Q.4 Any other comments?

Reply Idea for Q.4:

It is unacceptable that the health service I have paid into, has removed Emergency Surgery, High Dependency Critical Care and Stroke care from Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, denying the large, mostly rural population here Timely access to life saving treatment. Since 1971, Newry & Mourne has ranked in the TOP 4 HIGHEST population centres in NI (NISRA) and has always had a higher population than Antrim, Castlereagh and Craigavon - all of which have named Area Hospitals in the new network. Why not us?

These 2 answers will also be provided in the fb comments section for this post so you can copy them and paste them into the DOH ‘This is our Health’ online Survey answer boxes if you want.

HOW TO TAKE PART
If you agree with these quick reply ideas, keep the Daisy Hill for life page tab open, along with the This is our Health survey page while following these steps:

1. Go to the online survey at the Link: https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/hsc/this-is-our-health/consultation/intro/

2. Read Q1, answer it if you want, or scroll down the page to Question 2 ‘If the health service could guarantee you something, what would you want that to be?

3. Click into the Question 2 answer box with mouse pointer (or on a phone, tap your finger into the box)

4. Type your own answer or Go to the Daisy Hill for life Facebook comment Q2 Reply:
‘Please guarantee that Daisy Hill in Newry is made into an Area Hospital with 24/7 Level 1 Consultant-led Emergency Services and Critical Care services maintained for the long term. Because since 1971, Newry & Mourne has ranked in the TOP FOUR HIGHEST population centres in NI (of the 26 former local government districts) (NISRA).

5. Copy this comment from ‘Daisy Hill for life facebook comment titled Q2 Reply + paste into the Question 2 DOH This is our Health online Survey answer box.

6. Next either answer Q3 or skip past to Question 4 Any other comments

7. Question 4: Type an answer into the Q4 Any other comments answer box – or go to the Daisy Hill for life facebook comment titled: Q4 Reply:

It is unacceptable that the health service I have paid into, has removed Emergency Surgery, High Dependency Critical Care and Stroke care from Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, denying the large, mostly rural population here Timely access to life saving treatment. Since 1971*, Newry & Mourne has ranked in the TOP 4 HIGHEST population centres in NI and has always had a higher population than Antrim, Castlereagh and Craigavon - all of which have named Area Hospitals in the new network. Why not us? (*NISRA).

8. Copy fb comment from there and paste it into the ‘This is our Health’ online Survey Q4 answer box:

9. Hit Continue (Blue Button)

10. The rest of the Qs are optional so decide if you want to answer these or keep moving on

11. On Page 3 it says ‘Tick the box if you want to receive copy by email’ Tick if you want a copy.

12. Finally click the ‘Submit Response’ (Blue Button)

Thank you!

Pls share and pls encourage all your friends/family/community and representatives to take part in the 'This is our health' survey which closes next Friday 31st July 2026.

More information on critical Emergency and Medical services which have been unfairly removed from Daisy Hill Hospital is available from the blog at https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/, along with population sizes evidence – this information may help you if you want with ideas to write your own individual answer to Q2 and Q4,.

Please fill it in and pass it on - Thank you!

BACKGROUND INFORMATION/ WEBLINKS

Information on the DoH ‘This is our Health’ survey, which closes next Friday 31st July 2026 - is available here:

https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/hsc/this-is-our-health/

https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/hsc/this-is-our-health/consultation/intro/

NEW! Read this post with extra info and background evidence on the Daisy Hill for Life website/ blog: https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/2026/07/26/sick-of-hospital-services-being-removed-from-daisy-hill-in-newry-the-dept-of-health-this-is-our-health-survey-closes-fri-31st-july-2026/

Unfortunately, no matter how we feel about not being listened to or replied to, if we don’t reply in large numbers, the DoH will use this Postcode Survey as proof that we as individuals in this Postcode area are happy with the planned centralisation of acute hospital services and inpatient beds from Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry to Craigavon.

Please share everyone! We can do it. Thank you!
ENDS

28/06/2026

Write for your Rights: For You, Your Family, & for Daisy Hill as an Area Hospital in the 2026 Dept of Health ‘This is Our Health’ Survey

The recent last minute announcement of the Southern Trust service divert from Daisy Hill Hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology service to Craigavon Hospital on Fri 19 June until 9pm on Sat 20th June 2026 is still fresh in people’s minds.
The Trust said this was due to ‘unexpected staff sickness.’ The service was reopened the next evening, but the Trust’s re-opening announcement about ‘workforce challenges across the Trust’ does little to re-assure.
This kind of temporary closure is not good for staff or service user’s peace of mind. Social media comments on various platforms showed how the service divert/removal had caused worry, uncertainty and a lack of confidence in the provider, Southern Trust with concerns that this is just a trial run for another permanent service removal from this large population’s Newry & Mourne area hospital at Daisy Hill, Newry.

This is not the first time this has happened in the Southern Trust, there is a repeat pattern of other services including Regional Emergency Services which have been “temporarily” removed from Daisy Hill Hospital, leaving the population without timely access. This latest ‘temporary’ removal leaves the public to wonder if the Obstetrics and Gynaecology service is another service that the Trust intend to centralise to Craigavon.

‘TEMPORARY’ SERVICE REMOVALS FROM DAISY HILL HOSPITAL

Even though Emergency Services like Heart, Stroke, and Emergency Surgery are REGIONAL Services, the Southern Trust “temporarily” removed and Centralised to Craigavon; Stroke services (2022) High Dependency Unit (2023) and Emergency Surgery (2023).

However, as a result, there are no TIMELY Acute Stroke, Emergency Surgery, or High Dependency Critical Care Services left in Daisy Hill, as they were all withdrawn permanently without any Regional Public Consultation when there was no Executive in place and without the necessary Population Needs Assessment.

These Regional services have not yet returned to Daisy Hill Hospital – leaving the large population without timely access to these vital CORE INPATIENT services.

YOUR CONCERNS MATTER
If this recent 2026 service divert has brought home to you the importance of your health and your health service provider – YOU CAN DO SOMETHING constructive about it today, as you can now tell the Dept of Health (DoH) through their DoH/ Public Health Agency survey out now called ‘This is Our Health’ which closes 31 July 2026.

It’s not a consultation but a very short simple online questionnaire with four questions (and 6 optional Qs). It gives you the chance to anonymously air what you really feel about hospital and health services and what you/your family’s health needs are.

Question 2 asks “IF THE HEALTH SERVICE COULD GUARANTEE YOU SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT THAT TO BE?”

Many of you will know the answer to that immediately about what you need and what is lacking. Every household may at some point need acute inpatient hospital services in Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, including needing time critical access to Consultant- Led 24/7 Emergency Surgical and Medical care and Consultant-Led Maternity Services.

CONCLUSION: YOUR OPINION MATTERS – LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU THINK IN THE DoH ‘THIS IS OUR HEALTH’ SURVEY

Replying to this ‘This is Our Health’ survey is an easy way to tell the Department of Health and Public Health Agency what you think about all the health policies and removal of TIMELY Life Saving Health Services from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital that have affected you and your families over many years.

You may remember on the onset of the pandemic in 2020 the Southern Trust “temporarily “closed Daisy Hill Emergency Department, with no warning to the public, placed a notice on their website :“to stay at home and wash your hands” and a notice on the door of Daisy Hill Acute Hospital stating “This Emergency Department is closed the nearest Emergency Department is in Craigavon.”

This happened when people were at their most vulnerable. In your answers you could go back to the Pandemic and tell the DOH how you and your family were affected with the removal of key specialist services from Daisy Hill including the closure of the Emergency Department.

According to this survey they say there are no right or wrong answers and they are interested in real experiences.

The DoH write: “many people care deeply about one particular issue or experience and that is still valuable.” (For anyone who needs some examples for inspiration, Suggested Answers will be provided here soon. )

Let us please answer in huge numbers and show them that we know that we are entitled to receive FAIR TREATMENT and “VALUE FOR MONEY.”

The Department of Health, using Taxpayers and Regional Ratepayers money have a Duty of Care to improve the Health and Wellbeing of the entire population of NI no matter where they choose to live, either Rural or Urban.

As you know the Southern Trust is not a Charity.

For your information SHSCT got c£1.13 BILLION income, and over £36.4 Million Management Costs in 2024/2025*, of taxpayers and Regional Ratepayers money to “PROVIDE ( not DEPRIVE) Hospital Accommodation and Services for the population in the FIVE former Local Government Districts (Localities) in the Southern Trust of which Newry & Mourne has always had the HIGHEST population.

(Newry & Mourne 111, 508 persons ; Craigavon 109,655 persons ; Armagh 66,848 persons , Dungannon 67,870 persons ; and Banbridge 53,202 persons (NISRA projected populations 2026).

Pls share and pls encourage all your friends/family/community and representatives to take part. Thank you.

For anyone who needs some examples for inspiration, Suggested Answers will be provided here SOON.

Information on the survey, which closes 31st July 2026–is available here: https://thisisourhealth.org.uk/how-to-take-part/

11/04/2026

Centralisation of Hospital Services Away from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry is Causing Major Patient Access Problems for Newry Mourne and Down population

Council Meeting on 13 April 2026 Agenda Item (Patient Transport) Gives Councillors Opportunity to Discuss Impact on Ratepayers.

Even though approx 51% of Regional rates goes towards health (2023*) the Southern Trust’s centralisation policy to remove inpatient and outpatient key core services from Newry, Mourne & Down’s only Acute Hospital at Daisy Hill, Newry has meant that adults and children alike have been forced to travel to hospitals outside their local Newry Mourne Down council area to access vital health care services e.g. Craigavon, South Tyrone, Banbridge and Belfast.

To help some older residents and families’ access hospital services and appointments outside the Newry Mourne and Down (NMD) area, NMD Council’s Sustainability and Environment Committee are seeking approval from the Council for ratepayer funding for ‘Home 2 Hospital Initiative’ Patient transport scheme costing an estimated £45,000.

Ratepayers in all 7 District Electoral Areas in Newry Mourne and Down will be expected to PAY TWICE through local rates plus Regional rates for the patient transport scheme to help some people travel to Craigavon, Belfast and other places to access hospital inpatient and outpatient Services which have been withdrawn from, or are not now being provided in Daisy Hill Acute Hospital, Newry.

Regarding the ‘Home 2 Hospital Initiative’ the NMD website states: ‘the estimated cost of delivering the scheme across the 3 District Electoral Areas of Mourne, Slieve Gullion and Crotlieve is £45,000’. The scheme is only available to some older residents, and the four other District Electoral Areas (DEAs) are not included.

REGIONAL RATES PAY FOR HOSPITAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES INCLUDING TRANSPORT – NOT COUNCIL RATES

>*The Land and Property Services Rates Bill for 2023-4 states that; ‘51% OF YOUR REGIONAL RATE GOES TOWARDS HEALTH: (INCLUDING HOSPITALS).’
These Regional rates contribute to funds for the 6 providers of Hospital and Health care services - the Health and Social Care Trusts e.g. Southern Trust, NI Ambulance Service Trust. So, ratepayers in Newry Mourne and Down Council area are ALREADY PAYING Regional Rates for a range of essential public services including health.

>WHAT RATES PAY FOR (NI. DIRECT. GOV)

This proposed patient transport initiative by NMD Council attempts to address a problem created by Centralisation of Hospital services away from Newry by the Southern Trust, but according to Official website ni.direct. gov this type of patient transport service is not the remit or responsibility of local District councils so patient transport of this kind should NOT be funded by local district rates.

NIDIRECT. GOV ‘What rates pay for’ extract explains the difference between regional and district rates, showing that ratepayers have ALREADY PAID for hospital and social services, including transport, through their regional rates. (See below)

>‘Rates fund public services in Northern Ireland, both regional and local. Your rates bill includes the regional rate and the district rate. REGIONAL RATE: The regional rate is set annually. The rate applies in each council area in Northern Ireland. This pays for services including: education, EMERGENCY, HOSPITALS, law and order, roads, SOCIAL SERVICES and community development. All ratepayers contribute towards public services.’

>DISTRICT RATE: Each council sets an annual district rate for their area in Northern Ireland. This pays for LOCAL services including: arts, events and recreation, building control, leisure/community centres, environmental health, tourism and waste management.’

District Council proposed local rates spending plans should be used for purposes to enhance ratepayers IN their local area, NOT to access services outside the local area. Local District Council rates should not be used to subsidise Regional Travel services when a health service is changed or withdrawn from the Local Government district (locality).

REGIONAL PATIENT TRANSPORT SERVICE - THE NI AMBULANCE SERVICE PATIENT TRANSPORT SERVICE:

The NI Ambulance Service Trust website details a Patient Transport Service and Voluntary Car service available to help patients travel to hospital appointments.
The NIAS website states: ‘another DUTY the ambulance service undertakes is transporting the most vulnerable patients in our community to outpatient hospital appointments. We do this by utilising our Patient Transport Service and the Voluntary Car scheme’ The NI Ambulance Service website states that ‘Our Regional Non-Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre are happy to check on any transport queries you may have on the following number 028 7134 7134.’
- - -
The NMD Proposed 'Home to Hospital’ transport scheme is a DUPLICATION of a service already being provided and paid for as regional service for the whole of NI and is already the responsibility of the Health and Ambulance Trusts and subject to Equality rules and the Climate Change Act NI 2022.

COMMUNITY TRANSPORT PARTNERSHIPS FOR LOCAL (NOT REGIONAL) TRANSPORT

Another Regional patient transport scheme for each participating LOCAL area is the Rural Community Transport Partnerships. (See end for info).

CENTRALISATION OF HEALTH SERVICES IS CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR PATIENTS ACCESSING HOSPITALS OUTSIDE NEWRY MOURNE AND DOWN

Real-world economic and accessibility difficulties are faced by ordinary people forced to access health services in hospitals outside Newry Mourne and Down.

Patient access problems are a symptom of a hospital services centralisation policy that hits individual residents hard, that affects everyone -adults and children alike, of all ages and disabilities and must be addressed by Health Providers like Southern Trust, and government departments like the Dept. of Health who are enabling the removal of hospital services from Daisy Hill Acute Hospital in Newry.

Government and Health Trusts should carry out a proper population needs assessments and revisit the centralisation of Health Services away from Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry and re-instate these services.

>CONCLUSION

The proposal seeking approval for an extended ‘Home to Hospital’ Patient transport scheme funded by local rates for an estimated £45,000 for three District Electoral Areas out of seven in NMD, will have to go before councillors for discussion at a meeting of the full Newry, Mourne and Down council when it meets on MONDAY 13TH APRIL, 2026 @ 6:30pm in Mourne Room, Downshire Civic Centre, Downpatrick.

This meeting is an excellent opportunity to bring the issues that people are facing to the Council so that the councillors, Chief executive and staff can raise this issue with the Government and those pushing for centralisation away from NMD the third largest council in NI.

Councillors should fight against the centralisation of services away from Daisy Hill acute Hospital, Newry City and lobby for the return of Newry’s Daisy Hill acute Hospital inpatient and outpatient services.
If residents do not have to travel to access hospital services (both inpatient and outpatient) OUTSIDE of Daisy Hill and Newry Mourne and Down -then extended patient transport schemes would not be needed.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

According to Census 2021, LGD Data, the Population of Newry Mourne and Down in 2021 was 182,074 with 68,397 households.
This is the 3rd largest Local Government District population in NI, and Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry was designated as a much needed major acute hospital in 2003.

Newry Mourne and Down Council covers a large land mass area of 162,827.72 hectares, the 4th largest land mass area in NI.

Please share to spread the word. Thank you.

ENDS

BACKGROUND AND LINKS
NMD Council Website : https://www.newrymournedown.org/councilcontinues-support-for-home-2-hospital-initiative

PATIENT TRANSPORT SERVICES AVAILABLE / LINKS

https://nias.hscni.net/services/patient-transport-service/ and NIAS/Voluntary Car Service (NIAS provides patient transport services for people attending outpatient appointments or treatment at hospital with a medical need for transport.)

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/rural-community-transport-partnerships
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/rural-community-transport-partnerships-down-district-accessible-transport

NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN COUNCIL AREAS COVERED
Annacloy, Annsborough, Ardglass, Ballyhornan, Ballykinlar,Ballynahinch,Bishopscourt,Bryansford, Castlewellan, Clough, Crossgar, Darragh Cross, Dundrum, Drumaness, Kilclief,Kilcoo,Killough,Killyleagh, Loughinisland, Maghera, Newcastle, Saintfield, Seaforde, Shrigley, Spa,Strangford.

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/rural-community-transport-partnerships-newry-and-mourne-community-transport

Rural Community Transport Partnerships - Newry and Mourne Community Transport: Phone:028 3026 5635
NEWRY & MOURNE AREAS COVERED
Annalong, Bessbrook, Crossmaglen, Forkhill

If you prefer to read this on the Daisy Hill for life blog - pls see this : https://savedaisyhillhospital.com/tag/centralisation/

LINKS INFO ENDS HERE

Please share this post to spread the word. Thank you.

Address

Hospital Road
Newry
BT358DR

Website

http://www.savedaisyhillhospital.com/

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