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Trust to consult on ending hospital surgery services

Elaine Mitchell
South West Reporter
Pacemaker The outside of South West Acute Hospital which features a building with a brown cover attached to a glass-panelled building. Pacemaker
General surgery at the South West Acute Hospital was halted in December 2022

A proposal to consult on the permanent removal of surgical services from the South West Acute Hospital (Swah) has been agreed to at a board meeting.

The Western Health and Social Care Trust board was told it is "no longer possible to meet important safety standards at the Swah".

Emergency general surgery was temporarily suspended at the Enniskillen hospital in December 2022, with some patients from Fermanagh and Tyrone having to travel to Londonderry for treatment at Altnagelvin Area Hospital instead, up to an hour and a half's drive away.

At the time, the Western Trust said the suspension was necessary to protect the public's safety after it had problems recruiting surgical staff.

A man wearing a suit and glasses look at the camera. His tie is pink and white. Behind him are windows and wooden walls.
Neil Guckian said evidence showed that patients who need to go to Altnagelvin Hospital "have better clinical outcomes"

Campaigners say the loss of services and the distance and travel time, as well as poor transport infrastructure, put lives at risk.

Neil Guckian, the chief executive of the Western Trust, told the board meeting that it was "not a rushed decision" and he understood the "strength of feeling" that this issue generates.

"We have over two and a half years of working under these pathways, working effectively with no concerns on patient safety," he added.

Mr Guckian said evidence showed that patients who need to go to Altnagelvin Hospital "have better clinical outcomes" and "no patient has come to harm".

'No clinically adverse outcomes for patients'

Dr Brendan Lavery, medical director of the Western Trust, said that independent evidence showed there was a "very significant difference in mortality scores" between the Swah and Altnagelvin hospitals.

"When comparing the two units Altnagelvin comes out considerably better," he added.

He told the meeting that during the temporary suspension of surgical services there were "no clinically adverse outcomes for patients".

Phil Fisk A pair of legs wearing blue hospital trousers and plain white shoes. The legs are walking away from the camera and are following a trolley of some sort. This is taking place in a corridor with a shiny floor. Phil Fisk
Emergency general surgery was temporarily suspended at the Enniskillen hospital in December 2022

Mark Gillespie, director of surgery, paediatrics and women's health at the Western Trust, said the temporary suspension of general surgery had "transformed and improved patient outcomes".

"The proposal has the support of the surgical consultant workforce and myself as director."

Geraldine McKay, director of unscheduled care, medicine, cancer and clinical services at the Western Trust, outlined the intention to launch the 12-week consultation on 8 July on the Western Trust website.

The Western Trust also plans to hold a series of "consultation events" including in Fermanagh, Londonderry and virtually.

The consultation responses will be published in the winter of 2026 with ministerial approval needed for any enactment of change.

'It's a disgrace'

Pauline Corrigan has short blond hair and blue eyes. her glasses are in her hair and she is wearing a black top
Pauline Corrigan from Save Our Acute Services said their campaign would continue

However, Pauline Corrigan from campaign group SOAS (Save Our Acute Services) said she was "absolutely disgusted" by the move.

She said for the last two and a half years the Western Trust had left people with "a two-hour journey to out nearest surgery in an emergency which is not acceptable."

She said the campaign group "are not giving up, we are in for the fight of out lives".

Anthony McBrien has thinning grey hair swept back from his forehead and blue eyes and is wearing a dark grey body warmer
Anthony McBrien said it the removal of surgical services would be a loss for the area

Local people who spoke to BBC News NI also criticised the move.

Anthony McBrien, from Derrylin, said: "It's obviously a loss.

"There's a rural area here in Fermanagh and people have to travel to Derry and Belfast [for surgery] and I think it's a disgrace.

"Bringing people on that journey, especially old people, frail people, I don't think it's right, because the road's not even good."

Angela Gillespie has sandy coloured hair and black-framed glasses and is wearing a green jacket
Angela Gillespie, a former nurse from Lisbellaw, said the trust's move was "despicable"

Angela Gillespie, a former nurse from Lisbellaw, said it was "despicable really. I don't think it should ever have happened".

"We've a lovely new build [hospital] up there and I just don't know where it has all gone wrong," she said.

"The whole geography of it all – if you have a sick child, a sick mother, a sick father, husband, wife, whatever and you have to be shipped up the road, sometimes ambulances aren't readily available as well, so you could be hanging about a long time and that is crucial on the patient."

Patricia Hutchinson, from Newtownbutler, said: "It's so important that we have a hospital here in Fermanagh because we're so far from anywhere.

"Altnagelvin is two hours on a bad road and if you need life-saving treatment two hours is a long time to be travelling on a bad road."