Continued threat to local NHS services

The campaigns waged by organisations such as Fermanagh Save Our Services, Save Our SWAH and the Stroke Survivors have been instrumental in defending local services including the Stroke Department and Neonatal unit at Southwest Acute Hospital – to date. We cannot assume that there will not be further moves to undermine these vital services in the future however.

The consultation on the rationing of Stroke Departments is now more than a year overdue – likely reflecting the unprecedented and repeated mass mobilisations by the community here against the threat. Three times we have now witnessed almost one thousand people crowd into the Killyhevlin Hotel to say no to the closure of our local services. Despite this Stormont remains intent on proceeding with the cutback agenda – so sadly we can anticipate that when the conclusions are made public the threat is likely to return.

Similarly moves to close the neonatal unit in SWAH were only defeated through mass mobilisations which broke the back of the Trust on this issue but in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic both the neonatal unit and the wider children’s ward were removed from Enniskillen. 

Welcome for WHSCT Chief Executive's commitment to reopen Paediatrics Department and Neonatal unit at South West Acute Hospital

WHSCT decision follows success of lockdown measures in lowering Covid-19 initial infection peak which has freed up hospital capacity allowing services to reopen

Health Minister must now immediately authorise Trust plans to reopen SWAH facilities in order to remove huge pressures on rural dwellers forced to travel to Altnagelvin to access vital children's health services

Cross-community Labour councillor for Enniskillen DEA, Donal O'Cofaigh, revealed detail of communication from Western Health and Social Care Trust CEO Anne Kilgallen which confirmed the Trust's intention to reopen children's services at SWAH commencing May 25th. 

"After councillors were provided a copy of the briefing of WHSCT CEO Dr Anne Kilgallen to the Trust board on May 8th, at which she indicated her intention to move to swiftly reopen both the Paediatric ward and Neonatal unit but pointed to the need for regional authorisation, I wrote to Dr Kilgallen yesterday afternoon [May 12th] to confirm the status of this report. I also requested guidance on whether the authorisation required was to come from Ministerial or Health Board (HSCT) level. 

"In the evening I received a response from Dr Kilgallen in which she confirmed that plans were at an advanced state to reopen these facilities on May 25th and that she was simply awaiting authorisation at regional level to proceed; authorisation she expected to come later by today. 

"I would like to thank Dr Kilgallen for her responsiveness to my communications on these matters; and indeed the way in which she intervened decisively when the plan to close was made public. She communicated clearly at that stage both the rationale for the decision to close these facilities and her commitment to reopen them as quickly as possible - and this provided much needed assurance to both staff and the local community.