Removing emergency surgery will create 'domino effect', campaigners warn
BBCWithdrawing emergency general surgery (EGS) from Causeway Hospital would create a domino effect leading to other services being withdrawn, campaigners have warned.
More than 200 people gathered at Coleraine Town Hall to call on the health minister to stop EGS being moved to Antrim Area Hospital.
Gemma Brolly from the SoS Causeway Hospital group said campaigners would keep fighting for EGS to stay.
The Northern Health Trust said the decision for the move was to ensure a safe, stable and sustainable service and added that Causeway would continue to be an acute hospital with a 24/7 emergency department.
Brolly, who is also deputy leader of Aontú, said the meeting turnout showed how strongly people felt.
"When emergency surgery goes, other dominoes fall following that," she said.
"What we're hearing is about this wonderful vision of a diagnostic and elective surgery hub.
"But you heard from the professionals tonight, nobody will want to be invested in that if they don't have emergency surgery on site as well.
"There's a strong message going out - it's time to start listening and it's time to turn things around because we're not going anywhere."
In May 2025, the trust recommended that EGS should only be provided at one of its hospital sites.
A trust spokesperson said the recommendation, which would still see elective surgery delivered at Causeway, was aimed at ensuring it "can continue to deliver a safe, stable and sustainable service".
They said it followed a 14-week public consultation.
"The current model of providing emergency general surgery across two sites is becoming increasingly unsustainable and our preference is for a planned and managed change to avoid potential service collapse," the spokesperson said.
"Our ambition is to further develop Causeway Hospital as an elective and diagnostic hub for the entire north-west area."
The move will not be confirmed unless it is signed off by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt.
One of those at the meeting, Rebecca Gill, said she had a bad experience after having to travel to Antrim when she was pregnant.
Maternity services were moved from Causeway to Antrim Area in 2023.
"My concern is that with emergency services - particularly emergency surgery - it's much more unforgiving," she said.
"Unfortunately when we need emergency surgery we don't have the luxury of time to travel to another hospital.
"My main concern is that people who need these services won't get them."
Carol Wallace, from Coleraine, said her late husband had been in Causeway Hospital several times and she had found it easy to visit him because the hospital was close to home.
"It's important to keep a hospital here, because you can be over in Causeway if you live in this area in 10 or 15 minutes," she said.
"Going up to Antrim it could be three-quarters-of-an-hour up to an hour."
The meeting was addressed by Democratic Unionist Party MLAs Paul Frew and Maurice Bradley, Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows, Traditional Unionist Voice MP for North Antrim Jim Allister and independent unionist MLA Claire Sugden.
Burrows, whose party holds the health minister's position at Stormont, said he did not support EGS being removed from Causeway.
"I do not agree with it and I will never agree with it. I cannot get any clearer than that," the North Antrim MLA told the meeting.
"Emergency surgery must remain at the Causeway Hospital and it should be built up, not run down and that is my position and it's not for negotiation."
However, Burrows stopped short of saying whether or not he would direct Nesbitt not to sign off on the move.
James Large from trade union Unison said people needed to be listened to.
"We have said from the outset that Unison is not opposed to reform of the health service," he said.
"The health service needs reformed... but reform needs to be done appropriately and it needs to be done in conjunction with the public."
What has the Department of Health said?
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said it continued to work closely with health trusts to assess how surgery, both elective surgery and EGS, could be delivered safely and sustainably at Causeway Hospital.
"Every hospital is needed and Causeway Hospital continues to have a crucial role in providing appropriate care to our population," the spokesperson said.
"We recognise that the health needs of our population are constantly evolving and need to consider a dynamic approach to maintaining our health and social care services."
The spokesperson said said "ongoing engagement and information analysis" would take time but it was important decisions were supported by relevant data.
"In considering the future model for general surgery across the Northern Trust, the trust is required to follow the Guidance on the Change and Withdrawal of Services," they added.
What is Emergency General Surgery?
EGS looks after patients who require general surgical assessment, diagnosis, or treatment in an unplanned way, often following presentation in the ED.
This would include emergency procedures like appendicitis or a blocked bowel.
The Causeway site will be used for elective general surgery. This is low complex surgery which can be planned, for example the removal of a gallbladder.
As is the case now, trauma patients, such as those that have been involved in road traffic accidents, will be transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast for treatment.
It has also been permanently moved from Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry to Craigavon Area Hospital while it has been temporarily suspended at South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen.
