The Northern Health Trust is proposing to remove emergency general surgery (EGS) from Causeway Hospital in Coleraine and consolidate provision in Antrim Area Hospital.
If approved, the only surgery taking place at Causeway Hospital would be diagnostic and elective.
A 14-week public consultation opens on Friday and runs until Friday, November 29.
A spokesperson for the Trust said a series of public engagement sessions would also take place, giving people the opportunity to question the Trust’s senior management team about the proposed change.
Kevin McMahon, director of surgery and clinical services with the Trust, described the provision of EGS at both hospitals as a “model which cannot be sustained in the longer term”.
He added: “Our surgical teams also believes change is needed, and together we have looked at how we can create a better service for patients, while delivering a safe and responsive general surgery service for the future.
“Over the last few months, we have engaged extensively with key staff to work through the options and identify what we believe is the best possible delivery model for our patients and service users, and the wider community.
“The proposal we have brought forward to our Trust Board, and which will now go out for public consultation, is an evidence-based case for change,” he said.
Gillian Traub, Trust director of operations, acknowledged there had been “a lot of rumour and speculation around Causeway Hospital’s future since the transformation of our maternity services in 2023″.
She said: " As outlined in our Vision for Causeway, it is, and will remain, a vital part of our acute hospital network, and this proposed reconfiguration of general surgery will not change that.
“In fact, we believe this proposal will further strengthen our case for Causeway Hospital becoming an elective hub for the entire North West region – one of the ambitions contained within our Vision.”
Speaking to The Irish News, Gemma Brolly, chairperson of the SOS Causeway Hospital campaign, said the group wanted to ensure people in the hospital’s catchment had access to “essential healthcare services of an acceptable standard within an acceptable time and distance”.
She added: “We are concerned there will no longer be a 24/7 surgical ‘consultant’ present in Causeway Hospital Emergency Department, according to the Trust, instead there will be a ‘senior’ grade doctor.
“This will result in people presenting to Causeway Hospital being referred to Antrim Area Hospital, if a medic decides to err on the side of caution. This will inevitably put additional pressure on Antrim and could result in the eventual removal of the service from Causeway.”
