A public meeting is to take place in Enniskillen on Thursday evening as fears over the loss of emergency surgery services at the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen escalate this week.
The Western Health and Social Care Trust said on Monday it was putting plans in place for the potential loss of the service due to ongoing problems recruiting surgeons for the Co Fermanagh hospital.
The Trust is funded for six consultant surgeons to provide the service and currently has three consultant surgeons, supported by locums.
READ MORE: Western Trust planning for possible loss of emergency surgery services at SWAH
Fears have been expressed by local campaigners and representatives that the loss of emergency surgery could lead to the further loss of services at the hospital.
The public meeting will take place at Fermanagh House on Thursday at 7pm, organised by some of the campaign groups involved in trying to prevent the loss of services at SWAH.
Councillor Donal O’Cofaigh encouraged as many people as possible to attend the meeting and ensure local voices are heard on the issue.
“The politicians have the power to reverse this - but they need to feel the heat from the people,” Cllr O’Cofaigh said.
“Workers, farmers and the rest of society have the power to reverse this. If we don't who will want to come here to raise a family or retire?
“Those in power don't realise just how far away Altnagelvin or Craigavon are if you live in rural Fermanagh. I doubt they care.
“We need to make them care. That means protest and campaigning by any means necessary.
“But the only way to save our SWAH is to save our NHS. So long as healthcare is based on profit and money for the few - we can't have healthcare for the many in Fermanagh.”
The Western Trust insists that no decision has been taken on the future of emergency surgery services at the hospital, but says it must plan for a future in which their recruitment efforts are unsuccessful.
Trust chief executive Neil Guckian appeared at a meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s Health and Social Services Committee this week, reading a prepared statement before the meeting was brought into confidential business.
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