South West Acute Hospital: Concern over temporary emergency surgery cut

People in Fermanagh have described the temporary withdrawal of emergency general surgery from South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) as “shocking” and “devastating”.

The Western Health and Social Care Trust has not said when it expects emergency general surgery to resume.

Its chief executive officer, Neil Guckian, said: “Patients will be safer with these changes,”

But some people did not seem convinced following Thursday’s announcement.

Representatives from the trust held a meeting with local community and council representatives in Enniskillen Town Hall on Thursday evening.

At it Mr Guckian said that regardless of what had been reported in the media, he was “proud of the engagement between the trust and the council.”

He said the trust was dealing with a very difficult situation in regard to emergency surgery and was “working our way through this”.

He paid tribute to all surgeons at SWAH for maintaining services over the years in challenging circumstances.

However, Reggie Ferguson, chairman from Save Our Acute Services (SOAS), told the meeting it was his organisation’s belief that the trust had been deliberately running down services in preparation for the announcement.

“This has been on the cards for a long time,” he said. “Your communication is terrible, everything seems to be behind the scenes”.

Referring to the region’s poor infrastructure in the context of proposals to transport some patients to other hospitals, Mr Ferguson added: “The road to Altnagelvin would make you sick if you weren’t sick already.”

Also speaking at the meeting, UUP councillor Diane Armstrong said it was “a dark day that affects everybody, man, woman and child”.

Ms Armstrong said the people of Fermanagh and south Tyrone “feel marginalised by this decision”, and she was personally “absolutely disgusted”.

Earlier in the day, DUP MLA Deborah Erskine said she understood the concerns of constituents but felt there was good news for the hospital’s future with the announcement that it is to become a new centre for planned surgery.

“The pressures with surgeons date back to 2018 in the Western Trust,” she said.

“We need to have a system, we need to have a way forward in which we ensure services are safe for both the workplace in the SWAH and also for our patients.”

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew challenged the trust to set out clearly their plan for the restoration of emergency surgical services.

“The people of Fermanagh (and South Tyrone) need clarity from the trust on the steps they have taken to date, but most importantly, the actions they will now take, to ensure emergency surgical services at SWAH are urgently restored. 

“Vague assurances will not do.”

Protesters gathered outside the town hall in objection to the announcement.

Dermot Browne said the decision was “quite devastating” and he is “extremely concerned”.

“If there is an issue with staff that needs to be resolved with services reinstated as soon as possible,” he said.

“The trust don’t understand what it’s like to have a rural hospital. Travel is not acceptable. We fought hard to get this hospital here in the first place.”

Mr Browne said he understood that the trust’s position that most services will remain, but is sceptical about what might happen next.

“The direction of travel has been concerning for people here. We want as many services retained as possible,” he said.

Carmel Tracey and her daughter Emily said they “know the implications” of the announcement.

“Having to be transferred could put your life at risk. We deserve better,” said Carmel.

Diane McCaffery and her husband Eunan described the news as “shocking”.

Ms McCaffery is a retired emergency care manager from the cardio assessment unit at SWAH.

She said she had seen first hand how emergency surgery saved lives and thought this decision to reduce surgical services was “catastrophic”.