‘Tongue in cheek’ remark

Councillor Cunningham explained: “During the debate, the Chief Executive of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust had referred to the difficulties of having two major acute hospitals (Causeway and Antrim) within the Northern Trust area. I was amazed at this rationale and argued that the only considerations for urgent care provision should be made clinical excellence, availability to the local population and long term sustainability. I made the remark in jest that the Northern Trust boundaries were “artificial and could be redrawn at any time”.

“Now it seems that Health Minister Edwin Poots is examining the possible benefits of transferring responsibility for the Causeway Hospital to the Western Trust. If this transfer secures the long term future of Acute services at the Causeway Hospital, one wonders why it was not considered sooner”.