Lagan Valley Hospital
Encyclopedia
The Lagan Valley Hospital is a hospital in Lisburn
, County Antrim
, Northern Ireland
. It provides services to an estimated 125,000 people from Greater Lisburn
, the Lisburn City Council
area and other parts of South East Ulster.
. The move was part of measures to cut costs, however it has been claimed that the closure will put other hospitals in the region into 'meltdown'. A senior member of maternity liaison committee stated that it would have a 'detrimental impact', as hospitals in Belfast
and Craigavon
were already 'bursting'. Such claims were rejected by Health minister Michael McGimpsey
, who deemed them 'unhelpful'..
The closure comes only two years after the decision to strip the hospital of acute services.
Lisburn
DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
, County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It provides services to an estimated 125,000 people from Greater Lisburn
Lisburn
DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
, the Lisburn City Council
Lisburn City Council
Lisburn City Council is a district council covering an area partly in County Antrim and partly in County Down in Northern Ireland. The council is the second largest in the Belfast Metropolitan Area. Council headquarters are in the city of Lisburn, upon which was conferred city status in May 2002 as...
area and other parts of South East Ulster.
History
The hospital can trace its roots back to a workhouse on the same Hillsborough Road site that opened during the famine. The workhouse which was then known as the Lisburn Poor House, became the Lisburn and Hillsborough District Hospital in 1922. After a major extension, the hospital was renamed Lagan Valley Hospital in 1947. The hospital has seen great enlargement in years since, hastened by the closure of the geriatric units at Killowen and Lissue.. At the turn of the millennium, the hospital was granted a new Accident and Emergency wing.Today
In February 2008, the trust announced that maternity services were to cease at the hospital in 2009. The decision sparked major controversy and heralded the 'Save our Services' campaign, which was backed by local politicians and local newspaper, the Ulster StarUlster Star
The Ulster Star is a newspaper based in Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is published by a holding company entitled Johnston Publishing , part of Johnston Press.-External links:*...
. The move was part of measures to cut costs, however it has been claimed that the closure will put other hospitals in the region into 'meltdown'. A senior member of maternity liaison committee stated that it would have a 'detrimental impact', as hospitals in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and Craigavon
Craigavon Area Hospital
Craigavon Area Hospital is a large hospital in Craigavon, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It serves an estimated 241,000 people from the boroughs/districts of Craigavon, Banbridge, Armagh and Dungannon–South Tyrone...
were already 'bursting'. Such claims were rejected by Health minister Michael McGimpsey
Michael McGimpsey
Michael McGimpsey MLA is an Ulster Unionist Party Member of the Legislative Assembly for Belfast South who has twice served in the Northern Ireland Executive...
, who deemed them 'unhelpful'..
The closure comes only two years after the decision to strip the hospital of acute services.