New 7 day a week X-ray service at Daisy Hill Hospital

SDLP MLA for Newry and Armagh Justin McNulty has welcomed services changes by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust to expand their X-ray service to a seven days a week. 

Speaking to Newry Times, McNulty said, “Our health care system is under real pressure and no matter what service you visit, be that the GP Surgery, Minor Injuries Unit or the Emergency Department. 

“However, there can often be delays in the system at the Minor Injuries Unit and the Emergency Department because patients are waiting on X-rays. 

“The availability of radiographers and the X-ray team is something I have previously raised with the Southern Trust, in particular through the Minor Injuries Departments and at weekends.

“Over recent weeks the Southern Trust have reshaped its Radiographer Reporting Service for Emergency Departments and Minor Injuries unit on the Craigavon, Daisy Hill and South Tyrone hospital sites. 

“These services have all been expanded and will now be available from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 12.30pm Saturday and Sunday,” he continued.

“These service developments are the first of their kind here and are very welcome. This approach is quite common in the UK and Republic of Ireland and it’s great that we’re now offering a similar service too. 

“In recent weeks I called for a fundamental rethink to the way Out of Hours Services, including GP Out of Hours, Minor Injuries and the Emergency Departments, are structured and this is exactly the new approach we need to adopt.

McNulty added, “The Southern Trust have said they see this measure as a way of easing pressures on the system and reducing waiting times. I welcome this initiative and hope it’s the first of many positive developments in our services locally.”

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Posted by Newry Times News on May 30 2018. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry