'Little correspondence' leaves Causeway Hospital staff 'extremely anxious' about jobs as cuts loom

Causeway Hospital staff are 'extremely anxious' about their jobs as services are ‘likely’ to close before June.

Staff have been advised that the Causeway Hospital birth services will be cut before the summer holidays begin.

Members of staff have also allegedly ‘been made aware’ some expectant mothers were advised ‘Causeway was closing’ and to ‘choose other maternity locations’ prior to any decision being made publicly by The Northern Health and Social Care Trust.

A member of staff, who wished to remain anonymous, described the current mood of the hospital workers.

“While we were informed at the beginning our jobs would be safe, we have had little correspondence since,” they said.

“We have been presented with options for each band of staff but we are not guaranteed the positions we desire by any means. This is an extremely anxious time for us all, in Causeway and Antrim.

“We cannot afford any loss of income in the current cost of living crisis - neither should we be expected to - but the wait now for months with nothing yet in place jobs wise has caused a lot of additional anxiety on top of a very difficult situation.”

They said staff have been told the closure ‘will more than likely be before the summer holidays.’

Staff were not satisfactorily involved in the consultation process according to the employee who deemed it to be ‘somewhat lacking’.

“Decisions were very much made above our level before we were ‘consulted.’ There was no initial consultation with those that do the job on a daily basis and have done for years'.

“We were invited to meetings where we were presented with information in a similar format to the ‘listening event.’ The options were presented to us, we had no part in creating these options.”

“The majority of staff on both sites [Causeway and Antrim] are not happy with this transfer, there are other options on the table here which are being overlooked, options which we believe would have been in the best interests of all involved.”

“Causeway Hospital had a neo-natal unit in the beginning. We cannot comprehend why it is not a feasible option to base the new women and children’s unit in Causeway, half way between Altnagelvin and Antrim/ Belfast, instead of a short distance down the road from a number of units in Belfast.”

Two reasons given by The Northern Health and Social Care Trust for the closure were falling birth rates and staffing difficulties. The member of staff takes issue with both of these justifications.

“Birth rates have also fallen in years gone by, it did not warrant such action as this. It is very difficult to comprehend how you can implement action with such huge implications on the basis of ‘predictions.’

“The staffing difficulties are largely due to the gradual and silent stripping of services over the last ten years or more, leading to low morale in staff and external health service employees being aware that due to reduced levels of care (only admitting low risk patients) they would not gain the same level of expertise as they may elsewhere.

“However, these staffing difficulties also exist across the country. This is the reason why so many of us are taking industrial action,” the hospital worker said.

The Medical Director of the Northern Trust said the 'ultimate aim' for birth services is 'a new-build Women and Children’s Unit on the Antrim Hospital site ‘but it is unlikely to be commissioned for service before 2027/28 at the earliest.

Staff are concerned that without the additional space a new-build would create there will not be enough room for the added demand for the services at Antrim.

“The listening events stated the new build unit is at least five to seven years away. This indicates the need for further space to facilitate these services, yet there is extreme concern in Antrim regarding the placement of expectant mothers transferred from Causeway to Antrim. Where will they go for the next five to seven years?”

The member of staff also said the change is disruptive for pregnant women who are comfortable in the Causeway Hospital.

“We have spoken to a number of expectant mothers who are under the care of Causeway but are very anxious as they don’t know what to expect now.

“Mothers who have previously given birth in Causeway gain great comfort knowing the staff and the site.

“We have also been made aware of expectant mothers who have been advised to choose other maternity locations as ‘Causeway was closing’ prior to the decision to close ever being made,” they said.

The staff are happy to see members of the public on their side, having felt 'isolated' through the processes.

“We are relieved that finally there is some sort of action to attempt to ensure everyone can express their thoughts and concerns. We have felt very isolated in this decision and are somewhat heartened that people care enough to help stop this from happening.

“We worked through the pandemic, doing as we were asked, going above and beyond to ensure our mothers and babies were safe and healthy. Having worked in the national health service for decades, it is extremely disappointing and very demoralising to think we are stripping away essential services in our community instead of investing in them, to think our effort and commitment was worth so little.”