10 June 2026
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA has said the latest RQIA report into Emergency General Surgery pathways linked to the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) exposes a health service "held together by exhausted staff who no longer feel listened to".
Mr McGrath said the Department of Health would attempt to present the report as proof the current arrangements are working but warned that frontline staff experiences tell a very different story.
He said he was aware of healthcare staff who are deeply worried about speaking publicly.
South Down MLA Colin McGrath said:
“What this report actually reveals is a system under enormous strain, with repeated concerns around delayed transfers, ambulance pressures, poor morale and fractured working relationships. One of the most concerning aspects is the clear gap between the confidence being expressed by senior management and the reality being described by many frontline workers.
“I have heard about staff who feel frightened to raise concerns openly because they fear repercussions. That should alarm everyone. These are professionals who have carried this service through years of uncertainty and pressure, yet many feel unsupported, ignored and unable to speak freely.
“People will rightly ask how a ‘temporary’ arrangement introduced almost three years ago has been allowed to drift indefinitely while communities are repeatedly reassured everything is improving. Yes, the report identifies some improvements, but it also identifies ongoing failings and serious concerns. That is a long way from a settled or sustainable position.
“The department now needs to stop managing decline at SWAH and start listening to the staff and communities who have been carrying the consequences of these decisions every single day.”