Worried patients flood helplines after Mount Carmel closure announcement

Helplines to deal with inquiries from anxious Mount Carmel patients have been flooded with around 500 queries.

It follows Friday's announcement that the hospital is to close with the loss of over 300 jobs.

According to the liquidation firm, RSM Farrell Grant Sparks, many of the inquiries are patients looking for advice on their appointments.

The advice is if you have a maternity appointment then go to Mount Carmel until an alternative plan is put in place.

All other elective procedures have been cancelled.