A DUP MLA has said overcrowding at Causeway Hospital’s Emergency Department left him sitting on the floor with his child.
East Derry MLA Alan Robinson shared the remarks as leaders in the Northern Trust briefed Stormont’s health committee on their winter plans and pressure to cut services to save money.
This had included plans to scrap the Phone First service, which can divert patients away from EDs to other care options.
It had been due to end in the Northern Trust this month, but this week the Department of Health instructed all trusts to pause any changes.
The Causeway Hospital in Coleraine. PICTURE: MARGARET MCLAUGHLIN (MARGARET MCLAUGHLIN COPYRIGHT / )
“I know in recent times when I was in ED with my child, certainly in the front section there was a bit of capacity but in the children’s section…both my child and I were on the floor, such was the pressure,” Mr Robinson said.
“Given all of that, I am not convinced that adding numbers to Causeway ED, notwithstanding Antrim ED, that it was going to be of any benefit removing Phone First services.
“But it will be interesting to see going forward if the ultimate decision is that you backtrack on that because I think you should.”
With the Northern Trust’s budget of £1.2bn, scrapping Phone First would save around £500,000.
The trust is currently attempting to reduce annual spending by 4%, including £53m this year and a total of £150m by 2029.
The Northern Trust’s outgoing Chief Executive, Suzanne Pullins, responded: “I’m sorry for your experience in the ED when you were on the floor, that wouldn’t be what we would want as you know.”
She added: “Whilst it’s a big budget, we spend every penny of it looking after the people who live in the Northern Trust area.”
She said the bigger picture of reducing pressure on EDs was working towards the neighbourhood model of care, where frail older people in particular would receive care closer to home.
“So it is a challenge. I know you’re thinking it’s a false economy, but there’s many challenges that we have to deliver whilst we actually reconfigure services.”
Earlier, Sinn Féin committee chair Philip McGuigan asked what services in the Causeway Hospital would look like in 10 years – given the withdrawal of maternity services to Antrim Area Hospital in 2023 and the trust recommending the same change for Emergency General Surgery.
“I would like to take this opportunity to once again put on record our commitment to Causeway Hospital,” she said.
“It is and will remain an acute hospital with a 24/7 consultant-led emergency department.
“That is not something that is up for debate.”
She added: “We firmly believe that consolidating emergency surgery at one acute site at Antrim Area Hospital will deliver the best outcomes,” as well as making Causeway an elective overnight care centre.