Posted online: May 31st, 2010

Campaigners have vowed to continue their fight to have essential Accident and Emergency services restored to the Mid Ulster Hospital.
Since the unit closed last Monday the campaign to block the closures has continued to gather momentum.
The hospital received a further blow last night when Northern Trust chiefs confirmed that operating hours at the radiology( x-ray) departments at both hospitals will also be significantly reduced in the coming months.
Health minister McGimpsey claims Antrim Area Hospital will be able to handle overflow from both Mid Ulster and Whiteabbey despite the fact that it is already buckling under the strain of patient numbers and a lack of resources.
Magherafelt mum of three Collette Okoronkwo urged members of the public to back the campaign to keep to have A&E services reinstated.
She said: “It’s important that people support the effort to keep the accident and emergency unit open. There are so many young and old people in the area that need the services and who won’t be able to go to Antrim.
“There are many parents who have rushed up here with sick children and they would not have made it to Antrim. They have already taken away children’s emergency services and if they take away any more we won’t have a hospital. If they take away any more services I just don’t know what will happen, I have real concerns that some people will just not make it to Antrim.”
Magherafelt woman June McNeill challenged health minister Mr McGimpsey and Northern Trust chiefs to travel between Magherafelt and Antrim using only public transport.
The mum-of-two said: “When I was pregnant I hemorrhaged minutes after I was brought to hospital in Magherafelt. Would I have survived if I had to be taken to Antrim Hospital?
“I would like those who are taking this decision to come to Magherafelt and try to use public transport to attend an appointment in Antrim and come back to me and tell me what that experience was like. If they are like me and don’t own a car would they still think we have a first class health service?
Mid Ulster Sinn Féin assemblyman Francie Molloy described the hospital cuts as “unacceptable”.
He said: “There is a clear pattern over time. What they have done is remove services at the hospital. Then they claim the reduced services are not safe. Then they close the service. That’s what they have done here.”