Published Wednesday, 25 January 2012
The consultation was proposed by the South Eastern Trust, and hopes to find an agreement on how to run emergency care at the hospital in Lisburn.
In August 2011, problems recruiting junior grade staff at the Emergency Department resulted in hours being reduced from 24 hours a day to 9am to 8pm seven days a week.
The reduced opening hours were set as an interim measure, but until a more permanent is solution found, the cut in hours will remain.
The consultation details the preferred option of limited Emergency Department opening hours and an enhanced GP Out of Hours service to maintain a 24 hour availability of urgent care on site.
Consultants would cover the Emergency Department and also be on call, while nursing staff from the department would support the Out of Hours service.
The consultation period will run from 25 January until 18 April and can be viewed on the Trust's website.