There was a mixed reaction to the recommendations of the Hayes report. Mr Jeffrey Donaldson of the UUP said he believed his constituents were being discriminated against as the Lagan Valley Hospital would lose its A&E and maternity inpatient services.
The Lagan Valley MP compared the treatment of the hospital with that of the Royal Victoria Hospital in west Belfast where facilities were to be upgraded.
"Here we have unionist Lagan Valley, we are seeing the removal of our services and nationalist west Belfast is seeing an enhancement of services," he said. The Minister for Health, Ms de Brun rejected Mr Donald son's claims, saying any allocation or removal of resources would be examined to ensure it was justified.
Ms de Brun welcomed the report's "valuable contribution" to the debate on the future of hospitals.
"Clearly, the report puts forward some very substantial and very radical proposals, and these and the associated costs will have to be considered carefully as part of the Executive's future programme for government." Ms Liz Bannen, maternity services manager for the Royal group of hospitals, said the report should have included provision for stand-alone midwife units. "I'm not sure where the idea of woman's choice has been facilitated," she said.
The chairman of Northern Ireland Council of the British Medical Association, Dr Maurice Dunlop, said: "This document could very well lead the way to providing significant improvements in healthcare for Northern Ireland and indeed for all people on the island of Ireland."
Campaigners calling for A&E services in the Tyrone County Hospital in Omagh to remain open were dismayed that the report recommended against this in favour of Enniskillen.
Mr Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed in the 1998 bombing of the town, said: "After what happened, it's unthinkable something like this could happen. "Omagh doesn't need heart or brain surgeons, but an accident and emergency department is the most important in any hospital, followed by maternity." Dr Hayes said: "There was a bomb in Omagh and there was one in Enniskillen. You can't plan on the basis of a bomb."