'Cuts to SWAH surgery will affect five patients a day'
About four or five patients a day will be affected by the decision to halt emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital, according to the Western Health Trust.
Its medical director Dr Brendan Lavery expects that those operations will instead take place at Altnagelvin Area Hospital in Londonderry, with the possibility of using Craigavon Area Hospital for some cases.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Dr Lavery says he wants to reassure the public there are "no planned changes of any kind" to emergency C-section births after a review of the hospital's maternity services.
“We have no intention or plans of making any other changes,” he says.
'My mother isn't fit to travel to another hospital'
Matt Fox
BBC News NI
"I was ordered out the house by
my mother… she said: 'The fish and chips can wait until later - your life depends on
this.'"
BBCCopyright: BBC
Anna Hassard from Enniskillen followed her 85-year-old mother's order to get down to the Town Hall to protest about the "absolutely shocking" news about the cut to emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital.
Ms Hassard says: "She’s very upset by it - she wouldn't be fit to travel up that road [to another hospital]."
SWAH not the only hospital affected by staff shortages
The South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) is not the only hospital in Northern Ireland to have faced difficulties with its emergency general surgery service.
Only one of six general surgical consultant posts were filled at the time so patients in the Southern Health Trust were being sent to Craigavon Area Hospital instead.
The report highlighted the workforce difficulties and raised the potential for planned surgical hubs that would become centres of excellence for planned, non-emergency surgery.
'I've seen emergency surgery save lives at SWAH'
Matt Fox
BBC News NI
Diane McCaffery thinks the decision to cut emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) is "shocking".
She and her husband Eunan are among the protesters outside Enniskillen Town Hall.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Eunan and Diane McCaffery are attending a meeting at Enniskillen Town HallImage caption: Eunan and Diane McCaffery are attending a meeting at Enniskillen Town Hall
Ms McCaffrey is a retired emergency care manager from the cardio assessment unit at the SWAH and says she has seen how emergency surgery has saved lives.
"Fermanagh are the poor relatives of this country... the west has been forgotten about,” she says.
She explains that a burst appendix could turn septic by the time it takes a patient to get to Altnagelvin Area Hospital in Londonderry or Craigavon Area Hospital for surgery.
'We need way forward to ensure safe services'
DUP MLA Deborah Erskine says that she understands the concerns of her constituents in Fermanagh and South Tyrone about the withdrawal of emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital.
But she says there is good news for the hospital's future with the announcement that it is to become a new centre for planned surgery.
BBCCopyright: BBC
"The pressures with surgeons date back to 2018 in the Western Trust," she says.
"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."
'Younger surgeons want to be part of bigger team'
Increasing subspecialisation within general surgery is one of the main difficulties when it comes to recruiting staff to provide emergency services at the South West Acute Hospital, according to the medical director at the Western Health Trust.
Dr Brendan Lavery says the general surgeon "that was trained 20 years ago quite
frankly doesn’t exist anymore".
BBCCopyright: BBC
"Down here you’d be part of a smaller team and a lot of the younger surgeons who are coming off the training schemes would prefer to be part of a larger team in a different hospital," he says.
Dr Lavery also says that providing incentives
like higher salaries and longer contracts probably isn’t the solution.
Not the first time SWAH has faced staffing problems
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
The South West Acute Hospital first opened its doors in June 2012.
But in spite of its "state-of-the-art" facilities, it has consistently struggled to recruit and retain specialist staff.
A
bitterly cold November night has not put off protesters as they stand outside Enniskillen Town Hall in
objection to the cut to emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital.
At
one stage the passionate crowd broke into song - "we shall overcome" echoed across the town's Diamond.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Drivers of passing cars are waving and tooting their horns in support.
A meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District councillors and representatives from community groups has just started inside the town hall.
'We'll need every single member of staff at SWAH'
All of the staff at the South West Acute Hospital will still be needed because of the decision for it to become a new centre for planned or elective surgery, says the Western Health Trust.
Its acute services director Geraldine McKay says she sympathises with staff who are anxious during what is a "challenging period" after the announcement of the suspension of the hospital's emergency general surgery service.
BBCCopyright: BBC
She says the trust has reassured staff that they won't lose their jobs as a result of that decision.
"We will need every single member of staff and we will work now to put that [elective surgery centre plan] in place," says Ms McKay.
'Health trust fully committed to developing SWAH'
The Western Health Trust is "fully committed" to developing and enhancing the South West Acute Hospital even though it has had to cut its offer of emergency general surgery, says chief executive Neil Guckian.
BBCCopyright: BBC
"SWAH has a very busy emergency department, fantastic facilities and a wide range of very vibrant specialities," he says.
“We ask for public support and understanding as we continue to work through the challenges to develop a solution that meets the future needs of our population."
SWAH to become new centre for planned surgery
While the decision has been made to temporarily cut emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), it has also been announced that the hospital will become a dedicated centre for planned surgery in an attempt to tackle lengthy patient waiting lists.
Planned surgery - often referred to as elective surgery - is a procedure that is scheduled in advance because it does not involve a medical emergency.
BBCCopyright: BBC
The SWAH will become Northern Ireland's third elective surgical hub.
'We deserve better than cuts to our health services'
Matt Fox
BBC News NI
Carmel Tracey and her daughter Emily are among a growing crowd of people protesting outside Enniskillen Town Hall.
Ms Tracey says the people of counties Fermanagh and Tyrone "deserve better" than to have cuts to the services available at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH).
BBCCopyright: BBC
"Having to be transferred [to another hospital for emergency surgery] could put your life at risk," says Carmel.
Asked if she thinks the suspension of the emergency surgery will remain a temporary measure as the Western Health Trust claims, Ms Tracey says she hopes so.
"We’re
going to make much more noise about this."
What are the alternatives to the South West Acute Hospital?
The withdrawal of emergency surgery at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) means patients will have to go elsewhere - so what are the alternatives?
There are two hospitals within a 60-miles (100km) radius of the SWAH that offer emergency surgery services.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Altnagelvin Area Hospital (above) in Londonderry is operated by the Western Health Trust, which also runs the SWAH.
It has a 24-hours emergency department and is one of Northern Ireland's five designated cancer units.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Craigavon Area Hospital (above) in County Armagh provides emergency surgery services for patients in the Southern Health Trust area.
Long-term uncertainty over SWAH's emergency surgery
There's been a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the future of the emergency general surgery service at the South West Acute Hospital for months.
The Western Health Trust had previously said it could soon become "impossible to sustain" safely and senior managers were preparing "for the future" in case attempts to recruit more staff were not successful.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
The trust has the budget to fill six surgical positions but only three people have been in post.
'Public need clarity and honesty about cuts to surgery'
The public need "clarity and honesty" about the cutting of emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), says the MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone.
Sinn Féin's Michelle Gildernew is demanding that from the Western Health Trust and the Department of Health.
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"We need to know the steps they have taken over the last number of months to ensure that the SWAH is adequately staffed to make sure this is not a permanent measure," she says.
"Patients, staff and our community deserve transparency from the trust on all these issues."
No change to emergency department at SWAH
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
The emergency department at South West Acute Hospital will continue to operate as normal, says the Western Health Trust.
There will be "minimal to no impact" on other services available at the hospital, it confirms.
'We've done all we can to save surgery service'
The Western Health Trust has had a "very fragile" emergency general surgical service for several years, says its acute services director Geraldine McKay.
She says that "as
a trust we have done everything we can to maintain the general surgical rota" at the South West Acute Hospital, including holding six rounds of recruitment since 2016.
BBCCopyright: BBC
"We have recruited five consultants in that time but we have also lost six others - three to retirement and three to moving on elsewhere," she says.
"Bringing a patient into the South West Acute Hospital with no
general surgical consultants would not be safe at this time and therefore we
have had to put other arrangements in place."
Protesters gather outside Enniskillen Town Hall
Matt Fox
BBC News NI
People are starting to gather outside Enniskillen Town Hall,
reacting to the news that emergency general surgery is to be withdrawn from South West Acute Hospital in the town.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Jimmy Hamill (above, right), originally from Clones over the Irish border in County Monaghan but now living in Fermanagh, thinks the move is "lunacy".
"Fermanagh is so isolated. It's madness. People will die," he says.
Live Reporting
All times stated are UK
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BBCCopyright: BBC Eunan and Diane McCaffery are attending a meeting at Enniskillen Town HallImage caption: Eunan and Diane McCaffery are attending a meeting at Enniskillen Town Hall 
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Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
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Latest PostThank you for following our coverage
That's all from us for tonight.
There'll be lots more reaction across BBC News NI tomorrow, starting on Good Morning Ulster on BBC Radio Ulster from 06:30 GMT.
We'll have follow-ups on the BBC News NI website and on BBC Newsline and BBC Radio Ulster bulletins throughout the day.
Goodnight for now.
Emergency general surgery withdrawn from SWAH
BBC News NI
We're drawing our live coverage to a close shortly but we'll leave you with a summary of the big announcement this evening.
Emergency general surgery is to be temporarily withdrawn from the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) in Enniskillen, says the Western Health Trust.
The trust says the decision is necessary to protect the public's safety after it had problems recruiting surgical staff.
Despite saying the move is temporary, the trust isn't saying when it expects emergency general surgery will resume at the hospital.
The emergency department and other services including obstetrics will continue to operate as normal.
Read more: Emergency general surgery withdrawn from SWAH
'Cuts to SWAH surgery will affect five patients a day'
About four or five patients a day will be affected by the decision to halt emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital, according to the Western Health Trust.
Its medical director Dr Brendan Lavery expects that those operations will instead take place at Altnagelvin Area Hospital in Londonderry, with the possibility of using Craigavon Area Hospital for some cases.
Dr Lavery says he wants to reassure the public there are "no planned changes of any kind" to emergency C-section births after a review of the hospital's maternity services.
“We have no intention or plans of making any other changes,” he says.
'My mother isn't fit to travel to another hospital'
Matt Fox
BBC News NI
"I was ordered out the house by my mother… she said: 'The fish and chips can wait until later - your life depends on this.'"
Anna Hassard from Enniskillen followed her 85-year-old mother's order to get down to the Town Hall to protest about the "absolutely shocking" news about the cut to emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital.
Ms Hassard says: "She’s very upset by it - she wouldn't be fit to travel up that road [to another hospital]."
SWAH not the only hospital affected by staff shortages
The South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) is not the only hospital in Northern Ireland to have faced difficulties with its emergency general surgery service.
Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry announced a temporarily halt to emergency surgery from the end of February this year due to a shortage of staff.
Only one of six general surgical consultant posts were filled at the time so patients in the Southern Health Trust were being sent to Craigavon Area Hospital instead.
In June the Department of Health published a review of general surgery across Northern Ireland.
The report highlighted the workforce difficulties and raised the potential for planned surgical hubs that would become centres of excellence for planned, non-emergency surgery.
'I've seen emergency surgery save lives at SWAH'
Matt Fox
BBC News NI
Diane McCaffery thinks the decision to cut emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) is "shocking".
She and her husband Eunan are among the protesters outside Enniskillen Town Hall.
Ms McCaffrey is a retired emergency care manager from the cardio assessment unit at the SWAH and says she has seen how emergency surgery has saved lives.
"Fermanagh are the poor relatives of this country... the west has been forgotten about,” she says.
She explains that a burst appendix could turn septic by the time it takes a patient to get to Altnagelvin Area Hospital in Londonderry or Craigavon Area Hospital for surgery.
'We need way forward to ensure safe services'
DUP MLA Deborah Erskine says that she understands the concerns of her constituents in Fermanagh and South Tyrone about the withdrawal of emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital.
But she says there is 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 says.
"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."
'Younger surgeons want to be part of bigger team'
Increasing subspecialisation within general surgery is one of the main difficulties when it comes to recruiting staff to provide emergency services at the South West Acute Hospital, according to the medical director at the Western Health Trust.
Dr Brendan Lavery says the general surgeon "that was trained 20 years ago quite frankly doesn’t exist anymore".
"Down here you’d be part of a smaller team and a lot of the younger surgeons who are coming off the training schemes would prefer to be part of a larger team in a different hospital," he says.
Dr Lavery also says that providing incentives like higher salaries and longer contracts probably isn’t the solution.
Not the first time SWAH has faced staffing problems
The South West Acute Hospital first opened its doors in June 2012.
But in spite of its "state-of-the-art" facilities, it has consistently struggled to recruit and retain specialist staff.
One of the most recent examples was in June when a shortage of neonatal nurses at the hospital led to a reduction in cots in a unit providing special care for sick and premature babies.
Town Hall protesters vow: 'We shall overcome'
Matt Fox
BBC News NI
A bitterly cold November night has not put off protesters as they stand outside Enniskillen Town Hall in objection to the cut to emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital.
At one stage the passionate crowd broke into song - "we shall overcome" echoed across the town's Diamond.
Drivers of passing cars are waving and tooting their horns in support.
A meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District councillors and representatives from community groups has just started inside the town hall.
'We'll need every single member of staff at SWAH'
All of the staff at the South West Acute Hospital will still be needed because of the decision for it to become a new centre for planned or elective surgery, says the Western Health Trust.
Its acute services director Geraldine McKay says she sympathises with staff who are anxious during what is a "challenging period" after the announcement of the suspension of the hospital's emergency general surgery service.
She says the trust has reassured staff that they won't lose their jobs as a result of that decision.
"We will need every single member of staff and we will work now to put that [elective surgery centre plan] in place," says Ms McKay.
'Health trust fully committed to developing SWAH'
The Western Health Trust is "fully committed" to developing and enhancing the South West Acute Hospital even though it has had to cut its offer of emergency general surgery, says chief executive Neil Guckian.
"SWAH has a very busy emergency department, fantastic facilities and a wide range of very vibrant specialities," he says.
“We ask for public support and understanding as we continue to work through the challenges to develop a solution that meets the future needs of our population."
SWAH to become new centre for planned surgery
While the decision has been made to temporarily cut emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), it has also been announced that the hospital will become a dedicated centre for planned surgery in an attempt to tackle lengthy patient waiting lists.
Planned surgery - often referred to as elective surgery - is a procedure that is scheduled in advance because it does not involve a medical emergency.
The SWAH will become Northern Ireland's third elective surgical hub.
The Mater Hospital in Belfast was announced as the first of those new facilities in June and Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry was earmarked as the second in an announcement by the then Health Minister Robin Swann last month.
'We deserve better than cuts to our health services'
Matt Fox
BBC News NI
Carmel Tracey and her daughter Emily are among a growing crowd of people protesting outside Enniskillen Town Hall.
Ms Tracey says the people of counties Fermanagh and Tyrone "deserve better" than to have cuts to the services available at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH).
"Having to be transferred [to another hospital for emergency surgery] could put your life at risk," says Carmel.
Asked if she thinks the suspension of the emergency surgery will remain a temporary measure as the Western Health Trust claims, Ms Tracey says she hopes so.
"We’re going to make much more noise about this."
What are the alternatives to the South West Acute Hospital?
The withdrawal of emergency surgery at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) means patients will have to go elsewhere - so what are the alternatives?
There are two hospitals within a 60-miles (100km) radius of the SWAH that offer emergency surgery services.
Altnagelvin Area Hospital (above) in Londonderry is operated by the Western Health Trust, which also runs the SWAH.
It has a 24-hours emergency department and is one of Northern Ireland's five designated cancer units.
Craigavon Area Hospital (above) in County Armagh provides emergency surgery services for patients in the Southern Health Trust area.
This week the hospital's emergency department said it was working "under extreme pressure" and "far beyond capacity".
Long-term uncertainty over SWAH's emergency surgery
There's been a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the future of the emergency general surgery service at the South West Acute Hospital for months.
The Western Health Trust had previously said it could soon become "impossible to sustain" safely and senior managers were preparing "for the future" in case attempts to recruit more staff were not successful.
The trust has the budget to fill six surgical positions but only three people have been in post.
The staff surgeons were being supported by a team of locums.
'Public need clarity and honesty about cuts to surgery'
The public need "clarity and honesty" about the cutting of emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), says the MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone.
Sinn Féin's Michelle Gildernew is demanding that from the Western Health Trust and the Department of Health.
"We need to know the steps they have taken over the last number of months to ensure that the SWAH is adequately staffed to make sure this is not a permanent measure," she says.
"Patients, staff and our community deserve transparency from the trust on all these issues."
No change to emergency department at SWAH
The emergency department at South West Acute Hospital will continue to operate as normal, says the Western Health Trust.
There will be "minimal to no impact" on other services available at the hospital, it confirms.
'We've done all we can to save surgery service'
The Western Health Trust has had a "very fragile" emergency general surgical service for several years, says its acute services director Geraldine McKay.
She says that "as a trust we have done everything we can to maintain the general surgical rota" at the South West Acute Hospital, including holding six rounds of recruitment since 2016.
"We have recruited five consultants in that time but we have also lost six others - three to retirement and three to moving on elsewhere," she says.
"Bringing a patient into the South West Acute Hospital with no general surgical consultants would not be safe at this time and therefore we have had to put other arrangements in place."
Protesters gather outside Enniskillen Town Hall
Matt Fox
BBC News NI
People are starting to gather outside Enniskillen Town Hall, reacting to the news that emergency general surgery is to be withdrawn from South West Acute Hospital in the town.
Jimmy Hamill (above, right), originally from Clones over the Irish border in County Monaghan but now living in Fermanagh, thinks the move is "lunacy".
"Fermanagh is so isolated. It's madness. People will die," he says.