Western Trust to consult on ending Enniskillen hospital surgery

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.

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”.

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”.

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.