South West Acute Hospital: Hundreds protest at cuts rally

Protesters outside Enniskillen Town Hall on Tuesday

Several hundred people have attended a rally outside Enniskillen Town Hall to protest at cuts to services at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH).

Emergency general surgery was temporarily suspended at the hospital last November.

The rally came ahead of a special council meeting. Campaigners say SWAH is a unique case due to its location.

The Western Trust said the suspension was necessary to protect the public's safety after staff recruitment issues.

It launched a public consultation on the plan last month.

The campaign group Save our Acute Services addressed councillors at the meeting.

Chairman of the group Reggie Ferguson said it was "very unlikely that under the trust's rule" the service would be reinstated.

He said he was there to save the "magnificent" SWAH and that he was "fed up listening to this doom and gloom about how difficult it is to work there at the moment".

He added he wanted staff "to feel proud" to work in the SWAH.

Fr Brian D'Arcy attended the protest, telling those gathered that they need to "fight together" for our children's "futures".

Hundreds of people attended the rally outside Enniskillen town hall

Fr D'Arcy asked the onlookers: "Who's going to come to Fermanagh on holidays if there's no hospital?" He also questioned if businesses would set up in the area if there was "no hospital?"

• Concerns raised over Enniskillen maternity services

• Emergency general surgery withdrawn from SWAH

• Heated meeting over SWAH emergency surgery plan

The Fermanagh and Omagh District Council meeting heard arguments as to why there was a need for emergency general surgery to continue.

The campaign group told the council that they believe emergency surgery can be saved at SWAH.

The special council meeting was also told that more than 83,000 people are located more than one hour from their nearest type 1 emergency department.

People will have to travel to other hospitals for emergency general surgery

Emergency general surgery relates to the treatment of patients with conditions such as acute abdominal pain, infections, bleeding and trauma.

It includes operations such as removing a patient's gall bladder, appendix or part of the bowel.