Causeway Maternity Campaign group state local community is ‘furious’ at the decision to switch maternity services from Causeway Hospital to Antrim Hospital

The news comes after the Department of Health approved a permanent switch of births taking place from Causeway to Antrim Hospital following a recommendation from the Northern Trust.

As such, no births will take place at Coleraine from July 17, with expectant mothers to be contacted by the Trust.

Despite Department permanent secretary Peter May stating the switch is 'in the best interest for mothers and babies in the Northern Trust area', that viewpoint has been robustly challenged by Gemma Brolly, Chairperson of the Causeway Maternity Campaign group.

She said: "We were well aware that this decision was going to happen as more and more maternity services have been switched to Antrim in the last ten years.

"I had my first two children in Coleraine and then my last two were born in Antrim which was an example of the beginning of the end.

"There are so many generations of people who have given birth in that hospital, as well as midwives who have worked there, so we will fight to preserve that.”

Ms Brolly confirmed that the group won't rule out legal action in a bid to get the decision overturned.

"The campaign group plans to meet up next week and take things from there," she added.

"We will have to see what avenue to go down in terms of legal advice as we have a few options.

"We also plan to speak to other campaign groups, not only in Northern Ireland, but in England and ask for their advice.

"We see the bigger picture as there is no functioning government in place in Northern Ireland, yet the civil service has a free reign with no accountability to make such a big decision like this.

"People are furious, we have been contacted by not only mothers but people in our community and it's discrimination against rural communities."

The group, which held a protest in Coleraine last month about the potential loss of maternity services, believes the announcement of the decision just after a local election could pose more questions than answers.

"The political support was slow to come on board at the start," Ms Brolly continued.

"However, at the recent protest in Coleraine, there was a great support from political representatives as they know it is a local issue which unites us all.

"I do think it's a bit questionable that this decision was made just after a local election but the actions of political parties in the next few weeks will give us our answers."