The hospital has its origins in the Lisburn Union Workhouse and Infirmary that opened during the famine in 1841.

[2] In February 2008, the trust announced that maternity services were to cease at the hospital in 2009.

The move was part of measures to cut costs; however it has been claimed that the closure will put other hospitals in the region into 'meltdown'.

A senior member of maternity liaison committee stated that it would have a 'detrimental impact', as hospitals in Belfast and Craigavon were already 'bursting'.

Local politicians and members of the community complained vociferously about the limited opening hours and demanded a full accident and emergency service be restored, and although it was reported in June 2012 that Health Minister Edwin Poots was poised to restore a comprehensive service,[5] this never happened.