Coleraine's Causeway Hospital continues to play 'vital role in our network' says Northern Trust
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has reaffirmed its commitment to Coleraine’s Causeway Hospital, as it marks its 25th anniversary.
Speaking at a meeting of the Trust board at the hospital, interim chief executive Suzanne Pullins said the Trust has published an update as it “continues to deliver on its vision” for Causeway Hospital.
The Trust has stated that Causeway “continues to play a vital role in its hospital network”.
The Northern Trust launched its strategic vision for Causeway Hospital in March 2024. The Trust says: “Two years on, we are proud of the progress we have made as we deliver on the ambitions contained within our vision.”
Trust board chair Anne O’Reilly said there are “important decisions” to be made regarding Causeway Hospital.
In May of last year, following a public consultation, the Trust board approved a recommendation to centralise emergency general surgery at Antrim Hospital, while the majority of general planned surgery will take place at Causeway Hospital.
The board’s recommendation requires the approval of the Health Minister and Department of Health before it can be implemented.
All hospital births in the Northern Trust have taken place at Antrim Hospital since July 2023 after an end to deliveries at Causeway Hospital.
In a six-month review following the amalgamation, there were 323 births in Antrim Hospital and 33 in Causeway in July of that year; 321, in Antrim, in August; 286, September, 308, October, 261, November and 284, December.
The report said since the consolidation of in-patient maternity services and births in Antrim Area Hospital, six women (seven babies, including a set of twins) have experienced birth before arrival at hospital. Three women were within the Causeway locality and four resided “closer” to Antrim.
A Causeway Hospital Partnership Board was established in September 2024 and meets three times a year.
It is comprised of senior Trust staff, community representatives, local elected representatives, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) representatives.
An independent Trust board member told the meeting she believed there should be more involvement from the community.
Another member asked for feedback about issues that are being raised. “It would be good to understand on an ongoing basis points that are being communicated to them,” he said.
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The Northern Trust says online: “As Causeway Hospital marks its 25th year, we remain committed to its future. It is, and will remain, an important part of our acute hospital network and we are continuing to invest in and transform services for the local community.
"By investing in our emergency department, we have been able to expand our consultant team and over the last two years, we have appointed six permanent speciality doctors across key specialities including cardiology, frailty and paediatrics.”
The team at Causeway has been joined by a consultant cardiologist and a consultant paediatrician in recent months.
"We recently secured permanent funding to provide a 24/7 mental health liaison service at our emergency department in Causeway Hospital,” it was also noted.
"Over the last two years, we have invested £1.8m in ambulatory (same day) care which provides assessment, diagnostics and treatment to around 700 patients each month.”
A new MRI scanner has been operational since October 2025 and is commissioned to provide 4,000 scans each year.