Council did not make submission to health review

The Review of Health and Social Care was carried out by a team chaired by John Compton and advised by a panel of independent experts. Over 3,000 people contributed to the ‘Compton Review’, which has already had a huge impact on hospitals across Northern Ireland.

The Review’s findings recommended a series of radical and dramatic changes to the way healthcare is provided in Northern Ireland, with A&E services being stripped from hospitals across the province.

The Sentinel can reveal that Derry City Council and Limavady Borough Council, along with all other councils in Northern Ireland, were invited to make written submissions to the Review although both local councils did not do so.

The implications of the Compton Review have been found to be dramatic and wide ranging. The review recommended that the number of acute hospitals, those providing accident and emergency services and emergency surgery, would halve from 10 to five. Acute services have already been stripped from relatively large hospitals such as the Mid-Ulster in Magherafelt.

In Limavady, the implications of the Compton Review are apparent in the proposals to downgrade services at the Causeway Hospital in nearby Coleraine, a hospital serving many people in the Roe Valley town and Borough. Londonderry is also home to one of the largest hospitals in Northern Ireland in Altnagelvin.

The review also said that elsewhere in the UK a population the size of Northern Ireland would be served by just four acute hospitals, although critics have pointed to the superior infrastructure for use by ambulances in those areas.

Health Minister Edwin Poots has revealed that only two councils in Northern Ireland decided to contribute to the Compton Review by making a written submission. Speaking in response to a question from an MLA, who was actually enquiring why the Review did not include councils, Health Minister Edwin Poots said: “In June 2011, I announced a review of Health and Social Care services in Northern Ireland to be led by John Compton, Chief Executive of the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB). The Review was to examine the future provision of services including acute hospital configuration, the development of primary health care services and social care and the interfaces between the sectors. The Review Report ‘Transforming Your Care’ was published on December 13, 2011.

“The Review Team undertook extensive engagement during the review period. This included six public meetings across Northern Ireland to which all Councils were invited. In addition, all interested parties were encouraged to provide written submissions if they so wished. Submissions were received from two Councils.”

The two councils to make written submissions were Fermanagh and Lisburn.

The Sentinel asked both Limavady Borough Council and Derry City Council why no written submissions had been made. A spokesperson for Derry City Council said: “Derry City Council is unable to provide a confirmed position at this time.” A spokesperson for Limavady Borough Council said: “We’re unable to comment at this time.”

Two elected representatives on Limavady Borough Council, both former Mayors of the Borough, said that while they were currently unaware of an invite to make written submissions to the Compton Review, both men said they would be looking into the matter further.

Sinn Féin councillor Sean McGlinchey said: “I am definitely not aware of this but, like anything else, I will check it up.”

UUP councillor Edwin Stevenson said: “I was aware of the whole Compton Report, but I just cannot remember that (the council being invited to attend public meetings and being invited to make written submissions). I am disappointed that the council did not make a submission.”