South West Acute Hospital Update

The Department fully recognises the importance of South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) to the people of Fermanagh and Tyrone and to Northern Ireland’s hospital network.

The first duty of any health system is to provide safe care and the Department is satisfied that the Western Trust’s decision to temporarily suspend the service has been taken on public safety grounds, due to a lack of consultant general surgeons.

The mitigations put in place by the Trust will be closely monitored by the Department, including the transport arrangements for patients requiring treatment in other hospitals.

The future for emergency general surgery at South West Acute Hospital will now be the subject of a public consultation.  Any permanent decision to cease emergency general surgery will require approval from the Department and Health Minister.

The Department can reassure the local population on South West Acute Hospital’s future. It is a vital part of our hospital network and will very much remain so.

We can confirm that the Department is working with the Trust to make the hospital Northern Ireland’s third Elective Overnight Stay Centre, following earlier announcements on the Mater Hospital in Belfast and Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry.

This will help the local population to receive better and quicker planned surgical care, and also help the whole region. It is expected to increase the number of operations and patients at South West Acute Hospital.

Notes to editors: 

1. Elective Overnight Stay Centres will treat patients who are intermediate complexity cases and need overnight care. They will include general surgery and other specialties.
2. Elective Overnight Stay Centres are part of a wider health care reform initiative, involving dedicated hubs for planned surgeries and procedures. The aim is to enhance the quality and consistency of care, improve productivity and help bring down waiting lists.
3. As part of this reconfiguration, Regional Day Procedure Centres have been established at Lagan Valley Hospital in Lisburn and Omagh Hospital.
4. For media enquiries please contact DoH Press Office by e-mail pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk
5. Follow us on Twitter @healthdpt
6. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for Media Enquiries Only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The Duty Press Officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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