Causeway Hospital: Other services will go if emergency surgery removed, campaigners say

Withdrawing emergency general surgery (EGS) from Causeway Hospital would create a domino effect leading to other services being withdrawn, campaigners have warned.

More than 200 people gathered at Coleraine Town Hall to call on the health minister to stop EGS being moved to Antrim Area Hospital.

Gemma Brolly from the SoS Causeway Hospital group said campaigners would keep fighting for EGS to stay.

The Northern Health Trust said the decision for the move was to ensure a safe, stable and sustainable service and added that Causeway would continue to be an acute hospital with a 24/7 emergency department.

Brolly, who is also deputy leader of Aontú, said the meeting turnout showed how strongly people felt.

“When emergency surgery goes, other dominoes fall following that,” she said.

“What we’re hearing is about this wonderful vision of a diagnostic and elective surgery hub.

“But you heard from the professionals tonight, nobody will want to be invested in that if they don’t have emergency surgery on site as well.

“There’s a strong message going out – it’s time to start listening and it’s time to turn things around because we’re not going anywhere.”