Information Governance Office,
Information & Records Department
Hugh McCloy
E-mail: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
7 July 2010
Our Ref:
HMCC210610N
Dear Mr McCloy
Re: Request for information – Freedom of Information Act 2000
Further to your e-mail request dated 21 June 2010, please see response below regarding
how much money will be saved by the Northern Health & Social Care Trust, as a result of
downgrading Accident and Emergency Units, at Whiteabbey Hospital and the Mid-Ulster
Hospital, to Minor Injury Units.
Response: The conversion of Accident and Emergency Services at Mid Ulster and
Whiteabbey Hospitals to Minor Injury Units were measures which in themselves
were not designed to save money. The primary driver for these changes was
to maintain patient safety.
The changes also formed part of a wider acute reform package for Mid Ulster
and Whiteabbey Hospitals which is expected to deliver overall efficiencies in
the region of £3.7 million, subject to confirmation of the bed numbers and
service models to be retained at the two sites.
Trust decisions in relation to the release of information that the Trust holds are governed by
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000, the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998 and other
pieces of associated legislation.
The above information has been supplied to you for your personal use under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. It may also be used for the purposes of news reporting. However, you
do not have an automatic right to re-use the information, as it is subject to the Re-Use of
Public Sector Information Regulations 2005. For example, you must not use the information
supplied for commercial purposes, or publish or issue further copies of the information unless
you have been given permission from the Trust, in advance, to re-use the information in this
way. If you wish to apply for such permission, you should write to the Chief Executive at The
Cottage, 5 Greenmount Avenue, Ballymena, Co. Antrim, BT43 6DA.
Causeway House, Route Complex, 8e Coleraine Road, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, BT53 6BP
Tel: 028 2766 1227 Fax: 028 2766 1215 E-mail: xxxxxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xxx
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I trust that the above information satisfies your request. However, should you require
anything further, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
Nicola Lyons
Information Governance Office
Causeway House, Route Complex, 8e Coleraine Road, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, BT53 6BP
Tel: 028 2766 1227 Fax: 028 2766 1215 E-mail: xxxxxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xxx
