New Trust CEO will need to work to improve ‘rock bottom’ staff morale: Loughran

Dr Maria O’Kane resigned last week with immediate effect to pursue other career opportunities, the Trust said.

Ms Loughran, an experienced nurse who has worked in Daisy Hill in recent years, said that Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, “made it clear in October that he was not happy with the management of the Southern Trust in dealing with fears over maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital”.

She added: “The last few years have also seen Daisy Hill lose its Emergency General Surgery, Acute Stroke services and fears for the very future of the hospital itself.

"Added to this, the operation of an apparently unending recruitment crisis fed into the Bengoa Report recommendations to centralise services.

"As the public lost confidence in the Southern Trust, people took to the streets to try and protect the future of Daisy Hill Hospital, such was the discontent and concern. Aontú have consistently represented those voices of concern. We continue to fight to retain acute hospital services, no more recently than in Daisy Hill and Causeway Hospital.

Ms Loughran continued, "Considering the enormous financial pressures on the Health Service and the severe strains caused by the Covid situation, there is no doubt that the task of Chief Executive is extremely challenging. The Stormont parties and the series of Conservative governments have a lot to answer for."

Looking to the future, Ms Loughran continued, "Hopefully the incoming Chief Executive will see that relentless centralisation brings its own problems. They must therefore push for a future where both Craigavon Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital can thrive and expand. They will not be able to do this unless the politicians we elect share that vision. Aontú have been very clear from inception, not only do we share that vision, we work to achieve it.

Ms Loughran concluded "Whoever takes over the post of Chief Executive must restore public confidence in the Southern Trust and restore better communications with the Department of Health. That person will need to raise the morale of the staff which is at rock bottom. Central to achieving these things will be transparency and openness. Trust needs to be regained. Only then will we see progress."