14th August 2025
Patients and visitors to Daisy Hill Hospital recently, may have noticed changes to the signage and names of a number of wards and departments. The changes were part of a plan to stabilise inpatient general medical services at the hospital, in response to significant workforce challenges two years ago.
A range of new developments have been put in place to prevent hospital admission where appropriate and improve patient flow. They include an Urgent Care Centre on the ground floor and a Clinical Decision Unit and Short Stay Unit, both located beside the Emergency Department to better manage unplanned hospital attendances. On the third floor, the Discharge Lounge is helping to free up beds as quickly as possible, while the Medical Ambulatory Unit offers a range of treatments to avoid an overnight stay for many patients.
An Enhanced Care Unit has replaced the High Dependency Unit, to look after the most acutely ill patients and the former male and female inpatient medical wards have been renamed Level 5 North and South, to more accurately reflect the way that patients are cared for across a range of specialties.
The Elective Overnight Stay Centre is treating an increasing number of planned surgical cases while the Women’s Health Hub is offering rapid access for gynaecological and early pregnancy support.
Commenting on the transformation across the hospital, Interim Chief Executive for the Southern Trust Steve Spoerry said: “I am greatly impressed by the commitment of staff right across the Trust to respond and adapt to the challenges they are presented with.
“Significant work has taken place over the last two years to primarily stabilise general medical workforce at Daisy Hill and implement a range of hospital and community services to offer more timely care to patients. Thanks to the tremendous effort of our staff, the stabilisation project has largely been a success in supporting the maintenance of general medical services at the hospital.
“Like Trusts throughout the UK, the Southern Trust is impacted by rising demand and workforce pressures across many professions and we are facing ongoing issues in a number of other specialties like psychiatry, haematology and obstetrics and gynaecology, which we are working through.
“Whilst overall, unscheduled care remains challenging across the health and social care system and continued oversight is required, our focus for general medicine at Daisy Hill is now moving to a rebuild agenda, expanding on the positive work and improvements that have been achieved.”