Inpatient maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital are to be temporarily consolidated at Craigavon Area Hospital from later this month, the Southern Health and Social Care Trust has now confirmed.
From Monday, November 23, all births and inpatient maternity care currently provided at Daisy Hill will transfer to Craigavon, after the Trust said it had been unable to secure enough consultant obstetricians to safely staff the Newry unit.
The decision was approved at a public Trust Board meeting on Tuesday, November 3, following consideration of the “current workforce position” and continuity plans to maintain safe care.
Trust Chief Executive Steve Spoerry said: “Despite extensive efforts across the regional Health and Social Care system, we have not been able to secure the consultant obstetric workforce needed to safely maintain inpatient maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital and renew the current rota.
“The Trust Board has therefore agreed that births and inpatient maternity care will temporarily consolidate at Craigavon Area Hospital from Monday 23 November 2026, in order to protect the safety of women and babies.”
The service at Daisy Hill has been under sustained pressure following the retirement and resignation of several consultant obstetricians. The Trust says national and international recruitment drives have so far failed to fill the gaps, in the context of a wider shortage across Northern Ireland and the UK.
Up to five additional permanent consultants are needed to deliver what the Trust describes as a “safe and sustainable” obstetric service at Daisy Hill. Recruitment efforts and attempts to secure additional support will continue.
Mr Spoerry stressed that the Trust’s “overriding priority has always been the safety of women and babies, and ensuring that every woman has access to safe, responsive maternity care”.
He added: “We deeply appreciate the strong public support for local maternity services and recognise how important they are to women, families and the wider community. We understand the concern this situation is causing and are grateful to everyone who has shared their views, ideas and feedback, including women and families, staff, trade unions, community groups and elected representatives.
“Our intention remains to restore inpatient maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital, provided that we can recruit and retain sufficient clinical expertise to support a safe and sustainable service.
“We greatly appreciate the continued efforts of our HSC and Health Service Executive partners to find solutions. However, as sufficient cover has not been secured, we will now implement the continuity plan developed with teams at both hospitals and our regional partners from 23 November.
“I want to thank our maternity team for their professionalism and the compassionate care they continue to provide in these difficult circumstances. They are doing everything possible to support women and families as the temporary arrangements are put in place.”
Maternity staff are now contacting women who are due to give birth at Daisy Hill on or after November 23 to advise them of the changes and discuss their plans.
Anyone who is due around that date, has concerns and has not yet been contacted is asked to speak to their midwife or ring the maternity information line on 028 3756 1325, Monday to Friday, from 2pm to 5pm.
The Trust says further detailed information for patients will be issued, and updates will be published at: https://southerntrust.hscni.net/news/maternity-updates/
