Causeway Hospital petition

The petition, which has been organised by UNISON, will be available for signature in Coleraine Town Hall from Saturday, April 21 to 28.

As the Minister considers the recommendations of the Compton Report into provision of health services across Northern Ireland, it has been widely rumoured that Causeway A&E will close with emergency patients having to travel to either Antrim Area or Altnagelvin hospitals.

Rodger Doherty, Causeway TUC Secretary, said: “It is vital that local people make their voices heard in telling Health Minister, Edwin Poots, that we need Accident and Emergency services retained in this area or lives will be lost.

“If Causeway A&E closes there will be significant jobs losses especially if the proposed centralising of administration functions in Antrim goes ahead. This would be a further blow to the area which has already lost many jobs in the current economic downturn.”