Home / Health / Mum's 40-Mile Dash Highlights Maternity Unit Fears
Mum's 40-Mile Dash Highlights Maternity Unit Fears
27 Oct
Summary
- Premature labour led to a 40-mile journey for specialist care.
- Trust plans temporary maternity service transfer due to staff shortages.
- Families fear longer journeys and reduced access to urgent care.
A mother's harrowing 40-mile dash to a maternity unit due to premature labour has intensified concerns over the planned temporary transfer of services from Daisy Hill Hospital. The Southern Health Trust intends to consolidate inpatient maternity care at Craigavon Area Hospital starting November 23, 2026, citing an inability to recruit sufficient consultant obstetricians for Daisy Hill.
This move has alarmed local families, who anticipate longer and potentially perilous journeys for urgent maternity care. The trust acknowledges five vacant obstetrician posts, deeming Craigavon the safest option for maintaining services. However, mothers like Natasha Daryaie, who experienced a difficult transfer, question the capacity of Craigavon to handle the anticipated 1,400 additional births annually.
Discussions with Stormont's Health Committee highlight the trust's priority on safety, with consultant shortages impacting rotas at both units. Recent figures show a decline in employed midwives since October 2019. The trust is actively recruiting, with new midwives expected between November 2026 and January 2027, but current staffing remains insufficient to fully operate both facilities.
