No surgery at Carrick hospital

The decision was revealed at a meeting of the East Antrim Hospital Management Committee in May 1959.

It was strongly criticised by MP FV Simpson who warned that it would “turn Carrick Hospital into nothing more than a glorified nursing home”.

However, he acknowledged a shorting of medical staff saying that the hospital was “run on a GP rota system”.

Mr. Simpson said: “Twenty thousand people in and around Carrick deserve to have a hospital service in their town.

“You cannot help but think that his is part of a bigger plan for Carrick which is getting squeezed.”