Causeway Maternity Campaign to hold rally in Coleraine tomorrow (Saturday)

A rally to voice opposition to the proposed transfer of maternity services from the Causeway Hospital to Antrim has been organised in Coleraine.
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A group called the Causeway Maternity Campaign has organised the protest at the Diamond in Coleraine for 1pm tomorrow (Saturday) – the same date as the North West 200 which the group hope will allow their message to be heard by a wider audience.

In March, the Board of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust approved a recommendation that all hospital births should take place at Antrim Hospital.

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The recommendation was made following a 14-week public consultation on maternity services, including Coleraine’s Causeway Hospital.

Campaigners have organised a rallyCampaigners have organised a rally
Campaigners have organised a rally

At that time, a statement from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust read: “Clinicians have advised the Trust that the current provision of maternity services at Causeway Hospital is unsustainable because of falling birth rates, workforce challenges and the absence of neonatal special care baby unit facilities at the hospital. The workforce challenges reflect the wider problem of attracting specialist clinicians to smaller hospital sites.

"The consultation presented the Trust’s two ‘clinically deliverable’ options. Both options proposed the transfer of all obstetric consultant-led births from Causeway Hospital to Antrim, with retention and enhancement of early pregnancy assessment units, antenatal and postnatal clinics and scheduled ambulatory services on Causeway site.

"One of the options suggested the possibility of establishing a freestanding midwifery-led unit at Causeway Hospital. This option cannot proceed at the current time ahead of the completion of a Department of Health led review that includes service provision at such units.

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"Given the extreme fragility of maternity services in the Northern Trust, the midwifery-led unit option has therefore been discounted at the present time and will be kept under review pending the outcome of this DoH led review. It has therefore been concluded that the only viable option at this point is the transfer of all births to Antrim Hospital.”

An online petition to retain maternity services in Coleraine has been signed by 1300 people.

The public service union UNISON also held a meeting in Coleraine last week to discuss the future of maternity service in Coleraine.

In a response to the rally the Trust said: “The Trust Board recommendation is being considered by the Department of Health.”