Northern Health And Social Care Trust Propose New Rapid Access Clinic For Mid Ulster

THE Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSC) have put forward proposals to transform children’s services across Northern Trust hospitals in a move to maintain national health standards.

- Caoimhe Hegarty

Among the proposals set out is a Rapid Access Clinic for the Mid Ulster Hospital site in Magherafelt.

The Northern Trust covers four local council areas and currently provides services for a population of over 475,000.

Children under the age of 16 represent approximately 20 percent of the total population. The Northern Trust’s under 16 years population is the largest of all Trusts within Northern Ireland.

Currently the Northern Trust provides acute in-patient paediatric services involving overnight stays in Antrim Area Hospital (26 beds) and Causeway Hospital in Coleraine (13 beds).

There is also a short stay assessment unit at Mid Ulster Hospital, which is open 9am to 5pm on weekdays. This unit sees about 1,200 children each year.