Mater Hospital campaigners concerns over the removal of the sign from the front of the Crumlin Road building have been allayed by local health trust.
The ‘Mater Infirmorum Hospital’ sign was removed over Christmas and Brian Mullen from the Mater Hospital Community Forum said they were concerned that the name was being changed due to changes in services provided.
“The Mater has always had the name ‘Infirmorum’ which is historical and our fears were that the sign was removed because of the mental health centre in the hospital moving.
“The Mater is a teaching hospital but faces challenges long-term and when we see something like this it begins to raise questions.”
However when the North Belfast News contacted the Belfast Trust they explained the signage was not being removed to reflect medical changes but simply because it was damaged.
A spokeswoman said she had been in contact with the estates department and it was removed over the Christmas period because of damage that had been caused. She confirmed once that damage was fixed, the sign would be put back up.
Brian Mullen added that the Mater group met on a monthly basis and were watchful of any changes that occurred.
