Concerns that expectant mothers in Newry could face a postcode lottery for safe maternity care have prompted an urgent call for a review of health staffing, according to the BBC. The Southern Trust recently announced that almost 2,000 babies may temporarily not be born at Daisy Hill hospital because of a shortage of obstetrician consultants.

Key points

  • Council vote — Newry, Mourne and Down District Council unanimously opposed moving maternity services.
  • Staff shortage — the Southern Trust says a lack of obstetrician consultants could affect almost 2,000 births.
  • Petition — a UNISON online petition to save Daisy Hill's maternity services has nearly 12,000 signatures.
  • Rally — campaigners will gather in Marcus Square, Newry, on Sunday 25 October at 2.30pm.

The motion, brought forward by Mournes SDLP councillor Laura Devlin on 5 October, gained cross-party support. She said women should not face unequal access to maternity care because of where they live. The council called on the Minister for Health, the Department of Health and the Southern Trust to work urgently on recruitment and retention at Daisy Hill, protect inpatient maternity services and deliver a safe, sustainable solution for women, families and staff. It also asked the Department of Health to review and reform current recruitment arrangements.

Slieve Croob Alliance councillor Helena Young described the situation as a collapse of the current service rather than its transformation. Newry Sinn Fein councillor Valerie Harte said expectant mothers were in shock and total anxiety, adding that in an obstetric emergency there is no such thing as a safe journey time to Craigavon. Mournes DUP councillor Henry Reilly questioned how Craigavon could cope with another 1,750 babies a year from Daisy Hill, while Slieve Gullion UUP councillor David Taylor said he had raised the issue directly with health trust executives and the Health Minister.

Health Minister Robbie Butler (UUP) has confirmed that no final decision has been made, and the Southern Trust chief said its overriding priority is the safety of women and babies. A hospital support group, SOS Daisy Hill, recently held a public meeting of 1,200 people in a Newry hotel. Campaigners have announced a rally in the city's Marcus Square on Sunday 25 October at 2.30pm, demanding that political leaders lobby the Minister for Health to intervene.

Editor's comment

What it means in practice

For families in Newry, south Armagh and south Down, the uncertainty over Daisy Hill's maternity unit is not abstract. If services are temporarily moved, expectant mothers face longer journeys to Craigavon for appointments and, in an emergency, for delivery. That affects travel plans, child care for other children and how quickly help can be reached.

  • Check your options — if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, ask your midwife or GP where you will be cared for and what the current arrangements are.
  • Have your say — the public rally in Marcus Square on 25 October is a chance to show opposition before any final decision is made.
  • Watch for updates — no final decision has been made, so the situation could still change.