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| Dalriada hospital to remain open following court decision | Dalriada hospital to remain open following court decision |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Dalriada Hospital, in Ballycastle, County Antrim, has won a temporary reprieve after a judge ruled it must continue to accept new patients. | |
| This follows a decision by the Northern Health Trust to close the hospital, which also has a multiple sclerosis respite unit. | |
| Mr Justice Tracey said injustice was likely to follow if the hospital was to close before proper consultation. | Mr Justice Tracey said injustice was likely to follow if the hospital was to close before proper consultation. |
| The hospital had been due to close for six months as a result of budget cuts. | The hospital had been due to close for six months as a result of budget cuts. |
| The move follows a judicial review taken by an MS patient who is campaigning against the proposed closure. | |
| Campaigners say they are "elated" at the decision. | |
| Dalriada is a small community-based hospital in County Antrim and it is also home to Northern Ireland's only respite unit for patients with MS. | |
| Overturned | |
| In October, as part of the cuts to the health service, the Northern Health trust announced the MS unit would temporarily close. | |
| Health Minister Jim Wells later said that the hospital would not admit new patients. | |
| In the High Court on Thursday, Mr Justice Treacy overturned this decision and ordered that new patients must be admitted. | |
| While this is a temporary move, the judge said the balance of justice comes down in favour of granting interim relief until a judicial review case, which has been brought by a patient, is heard in full. | |
| While five members of staff have already been redeployed, the court instructed the Northern Trust to immediately halt any further action. | |
| Campaigners said the non-admission policy was a means to bring about the closure of the unit. |