NIPSA members have made their message clear. Across the Health and Social Care service, workers are demanding fair pay, safe staffing levels, and properly funded public services. In the Southern Trust, that fight also means defending maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital.
The proposed transfer of maternity services away from Daisy Hill has been presented as a temporary response to consultant recruitment difficulties. However, recruitment challenges should be met with investment, workforce planning and long-term solutions, not the removal of vital local services.
Healthcare workers and local communities should not be forced to pay the price for political decisions and years of underfunding. Stormont ministers and the UK Government must take responsibility for funding decisions that have left health services under increasing pressure.
The impact of losing local maternity services will be felt most by working families, particularly those who face additional travel costs and longer journeys to access care.
Your income or postcode must not determine your access to maternity care.
At the same time, health workers continue to face growing pressures:
- Fewer staff
- Increased workloads
- No pay rise
- No real Living Wage
Health and social care staff have continued to deliver for patients despite mounting challenges, but their commitment cannot continue to be taken for granted.
Join the Rally
Marcus Square, Newry
25 October | 2.30pm
Stand with colleagues, patients and the wider community to send a strong message that local healthcare services matter.
Stand together. Fight back. Defend Daisy Hill.
Vote YES
Members are urged to vote YES in the current ballot, and encourage colleagues to do the same.
NIPSA is calling on members to demand:
- FAIR PAY – Our outstanding 2026–27 pay award.
- REAL LIVING WAGE – Fair pay for our lowest paid workers.
- PAY PARITY – Protecting fairness in pay reform.
- SAFE STAFFING – Tackling shortages and excessive workloads.
- JOB SECURITY – Opposing cuts to jobs and services.
- FAIR MILEAGE RATES – Ending the unfair burden of rising travel costs.
Find out more: https://nipsa.org.uk/nipsa-in-action/nipsa-latest/1380-enough-is-enough-stop-the-cuts-to-health-and-social-care