NI health: Rural lives not an ‘afterthought’ say campaigners

Rural lives “cannot be an afterthought” when it comes to health transformation, campaigners have said.

In a joint “letter of concern” to the Northern Ireland Executive, four hospital campaign groups have called for a cross-departmental working group on rural health access.

The campaigners have warned that rural communities “face the real threat of being cut off from timely access” to acute and other vital hospital services.

In 2024, former Health Minister Mike Nesbitt proposed a new hospital network which would see healthcare services spread and shared across counties, with patients expected to travel further for specialist treatment.

The Department of Health has been approached for comment.

Donal O’Cofaigh from Save Our Acute Services (SOAS), based in County Fermanagh, said it is “vital” that executive ministers collectively consider decisions about removing services from local hospitals.

SoS Causeway Hospital group, Save Our Services Daisy Hill and the Down Community Health committee were the other three groups that signed the letter.