It has been claimed that senior management of the Western Trust approached the party leadership of the councillor who first broke the news of the emergency surgical suspension at the South West Acute Hospital.
The claim came during a specially-convened meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council to hear from the campaign group, Save Our Acute Services.
During a Council meeting last October, SDLP Councillor Paul Blake informed members an announcement was pending on the withdrawal of emergency surgical services from the SWAH.
READ MORE: Hundreds turn out to protest over South West Acute Hospital crisis
Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Blake said: “This is the single biggest existential threat to the SWAH. Nothing as big as this has ever threatened to this level before.
“The community must and will fight back to retain our critical services.”
His comments would be played down, but at a meeting around a fortnight later when it appeared the remarks were largely accurate, he said: “I have been proved correct. I wasn’t scaremongering or seeking publicity … After two weeks scrambling and trying to deny what we said, I want to know how much the Minister [for Health] was aware of this.
“There also needs to be stern words with the Western Trust Chief Executive. I’ve no confidence over the complete lack of will to deliver for this area.”
At the most recent meeting, Councillor Blake described the SOAS presentations as very informative, and claimed they had “corrected a lot of the wrongs and misinformation that the Western Trust had spread”.
Continuing, he claimed: “They used the platform of their mismanaged consultation – and that’s exactly what it was. If that’s how they manage a consultation, it doesn’t say much about how they run a hospital. They used it as an opportunity to spread their narrative.”
Councillor Blake commended SOAS for what they “have had to put up with” in their efforts to collect data and the work carried out.
He said: “It seems from the word go the [Western] Trust have taken any opportunity to dismiss or rubbish people who are critical of them.
“In many ways, I felt like a naughty schoolboy recently, because they went to efforts to go to my party leadership for challenging them.”
Referring directly to the Western Trust Chief Executive, Neil Guckian, Councillor Blake said: “I’d like to tell him clearly that I don’t mind, and will continue to challenge at any opportunity when I think there is gross mismanagement.”
The Western Trust was asked who contacted the SDLP leadership in respect of Councillor Blake, what exactly this related to and why it was felt necessary to do so?
In addition, clarity was sought on whether contact has been made with any other party leadership in this respect, or just that of Councillor Blake.
Finally, the Western Trust was asked if there is a policy and/or procedure stipulating when it is deemed appropriate to contact party leaderships over any elected member, or was this a singular instance, and if so, why this singular incident?
In response, a spokesperson for the Western Trust said: “The [Western] Trust would frequently engage with MLAs, MPs and Councillors and also on occasions party leadership in respect of many health issues, and this would work both ways.
“More recently, the Chief Executive formed an all-party group to work with senior leaders in respect of the SWAH, to look at building a positive narrative and discuss ways to help sustain, develop and build this.
“This would have included talks in respect of helping to change the ongoing public narrative regarding the SWAH as part of a positive PR campaign for the hospital and the area.
“No individual elected representative has been singled out by the Trust in discussions.”
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