In a series of meetings between the McCoy family and the Northern Trust, it was promised to the family that there would always be a bed available for Stephen in Mid Ulster Hospital, a promise that was made by current Executive Board Member Dr Peter Flanagan.
As the Northern Trust continue to remove all inpatients, this will no longer be a option for the McCoy family. Stephen requires close medical attention and since the removal of Mid Ulster A&E has found himself having to avail of hospitals in Belfast as there were no beds available at Antrim Area Hospital.
This is the human side to the removal of services at Mid Ulster, Stephen is one of many who could of been directly admitted to Mid Ulster Hospital, a setting in where he is familiar with the staff and where the staff are familiar with his needs.
The McCoy family have faced several stress occasions now in where treatment needed for Stephen is unavailable and in cases where staff had to trawl through medical records to define what treatment he needs.
This must not be allowed to happen to the McCoy family or any other family in the future, Mid Ulster requires the services it once provided to ensure the health and safety off all those who once used it.