A city councillor has called for Southern Trust heads to roll over a staff recrutiment crisis that he fears could soon result in people dying needlessly.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) passed a motion to request management of the Trust to be held accountable at a special meeting.
Major health concerns were raised at the council chambers on Monday night following recent news that Daisy Hill hospital could see ward beds being slashed from 107 to 40 as doctor numbers diminish through the summer months.
READ MORE: Daisy Hill Hospital stroke service cut amid staff shortages and escalating pressures.
Out-going Chairperson Michael Savage said: "There are plans to redirect patients to Craigvon Area hospital, which is already under pressure and busting at the seams.
"This just looks like a plan that is going nowhere and a Trust that has lost the run of itself in relation to how it manages and contributes of the future of Daisy Hill and most importantly the health and care of the people of the south Down, south Armagh and greater Newry area.
"I have been told and what I have been led to believe is that stroke patients now will no longer be able to go to Daisy Hill and receive trombolyses.
"They will be told to drive past and go straight to Craigavon. I know there's councillors here who represent places like Cullaville, Annalong in Kilkeel who find that frightening for the people they represent.
"I am telling you here and now the councillors in this chamber are not prepared to allow Daisy Hill to go by the way-side.
"And for plans that should have been put in place months ago in relation to succession planning and the advertising and recruitment of staff, senior consultant staff, we need to get a handle on where the Trust are. If the people that are behind these decisions that have led to the downfall of our hospital are not fit for purpose, then we need the people in who are.
"And they need to be held to account for the decisions that they have made or in some cases the lack of them."
At the end of May, an announced shortage of consultants at Daisy Hill meant delivering inpatient care in general medicine was at risk.
The Trust has now agreed an interim staffing plan, developed with the support of its medical team.
A chief operating officer has also been appointed for the Daisy Hill site as it moves into an uncertain future.
Cllr Savage added: "My understanding is that they have admitted that they weren't listening to the concerns raised by consultants who saw their colleagues heading towards retirement age, saw a crisis on the agenda and felt despite huge loyalty to Daisy Hill they could not put themselves through the challenges that were coming down the line.
"So we need them (Southern Trust) here, we need to speak to them and get honest answers and we need to hold them accountable.
"I would say that I am summing up the view of most if not all the councillors here in this chamber in relation to the threat to their local hospital.
"We could be ending up with a health service going into a cul-de-sac, and we need to know where is the plan A, never mind the plan B, to provide services for our people.
"What I am afraid of is that we are now at the stage where I think people will die needlessly in our district if urgent action is not taken."
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