Thousands take part in rally over Daisy Hill Hospital surgery move

Thousands of people have taken part in a rally against plans to remove emergency general surgery at Daisy Hill Hospital.

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has proposed moving the services to Craigavon Area Hospital.

Protestors marched through Newry city centre to the front doors of the hospital on Saturday in opposition to the move.

"We want to be treated with equality and respect in terms of getting access to life-saving medical care," campaigner Francis Gallagher told UTV.

"If they take away our emergency general surgery that will not be the case but it will also undermine the other acute pillars of the hospital.

"We will no longer have an acute hospital at Daisy Hill.

"What we're trying to achieve is to say to the Department of Health and the Southern Health Trust, you've only got to look around you, thousands of people are out today, this is a resounding message to you that we want to keep our acute services at Daisy Hill."

A spokesperson for the Southern Trust said: "We understand that local people want to show their support for Daisy Hill Hospital and we welcome their support for Daisy Hill Hospital."

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