A local councillor and farmer in Co Fermanagh has taken up a role as a cleaner in the South West Acute Hospital in recent months.
Erne North area councillor John Coyle of the SDLP is a farmer by trade but wanted to help the local health service however he could.
Earlier this year he took up a role at the local hospital on a part time basis, where he has seen first hand the pressures facing the health and social care system in Co Fermanagh .
READ MORE: Fermanagh stitchers who made thousands of scrubs during the pandemic praised
“I took on the job because I wanted to make a difference after the pandemic and everything that had gone on.
“With the stress that nurses and doctors went through as well as support staff, I wanted to take on something that helped at least a little bit.
“The work that I do in the hospital does make a difference - we need our NHS and it’s held in great esteem all across the world.
“There is a lot of pressure on the system at the moment, but the staff that are there are kind and courteous and they do everything they can to get everybody back to their loved ones.
“I work in domestic housekeeping, I was given full training when I started. I help with infection control and making sure that the rooms are clean and tidy for patients.
“For most people that work here it’s not just a job, it’s a vocation and you have to care that people are getting the best care they can.
“It’s like any job, you need to enjoy doing it. You don’t do it for the money. My mother was home help and had such a kind and caring nature, I just want to give back to people like she did.
“When you’re ill it’s nice to see a friendly face, and you be in and out of rooms chatting to people. It’s nice to show a bit of compassion and care for people.”
There have been fears over a potential downgrade of services at the SWAH after the Department of Health published a review of surgery across Northern Ireland in June.
As part of the review, the Department says there is a ‘pressing need for change’ in hospitals here in order to make them more sustainable,
John praised the work of the staff in the SWAH, and said that local health services both at the hospital and GP practices need to be protected at all costs.
He added: “I have fantastic work colleagues - it can be stressful and nurses and doctors do get stressed due to not having enough people working.
“These are things that Stormont needs to sort out. GPs and doctors in the community knew ten years ago that there was going to be a shortage of doctors here but it still hasn’t been sorted out.
“We have to make sure that every patient that does come into our health system here gets a top class service and that is under threat.”
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