The Western Trust has said it is putting plans in place for the loss of emergency surgery services at the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen.
The board of the local health trust held a special meeting on Monday of this week to discuss the plans, which was not open to the public or media.
Concerns have been raised by campaigners and local representatives in recent months about the potential withdrawal of the services from the Co Fermanagh hospital. It comes after a Department of Health review into surgical services across Northern Ireland earlier this year.
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In a statement released following the meeting on Monday, the Trust’s Director of Acute Services, Geraldine McKay, said recruitment concerns were the primary issue affecting the future of the service.
“We have become increasingly concerned at the fragility of Emergency General Surgery at the SWAH,” the director said.
“Despite our efforts to recruit, we have not been successful to date in securing the necessary consultant workforce. In recent months the Trust has highlighted the challenges of recruiting and retaining experienced consultant surgeons to provide the service."
Geraldine added that upcoming changes in staff meant it would be ‘impossible’ to sustain emergency surgery at the hospital.
“This is not a question of funding but maintaining the required workforce," she said. "The Trust is funded for six consultant surgeons to provide the service and we currently are working with three surgeons supported by locums.
“In recent days, we have been notified of forthcoming changes in the staff team which unless restored will leave it impossible to sustain a safe emergency general surgery service at the hospital.
“It is very important to note that no decision was made at today’s meeting and no recommendation from Trust Board has gone to the Department and Minister.
“While intensive recruitment efforts will continue, we also have to prepare for a future in which these do not prove successful.
“This planning will involve working very closely with our surgical team, our HSC colleagues and the Department to consider and develop clinical pathways for patients served by SWAH who require this service."
In the statement the Trust stressed that elective surgery at the hospital would continue and there would be ‘minimal to no impact on the other existing services’.
Western Trust Chief Executive Neil Guckian said the local health body wanted to `be up front with the public’ about the issue.
“I am very aware that the situation with emergency surgery will be deeply concerning to patients and staff,” he said.
“It’s not a position we want to be in but we have to plan ahead and be up front with the public about what that planning involves. I ask everyone to work with us constructively.”
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The chief executive added the Trust was determined to press ahead with plans for the SWAH to expand elective surgery at the hospital.
He said: “This would result in more patients being served than ever before. The SWAH would make an excellent regional elective centre.
“The Trust is determined to make that vision a reality and has been working with the Department on plans for an elective overnight stay centre at SWAH.”
In a statement, Health minister Robin Swann stressed that 'no decision' had been made yet with regard to the withdrawal of the service.
Swann said: “The situation regarding emergency general surgery at SWAH will undoubtedly be a matter of serious concern in the local community.
“I would stress that no decision has been made and no recommendation has come to me from the Trust Board. I have emphasised to the Trust that it must leave no stone unturned in its ongoing recruitment efforts.
"I accept it must plan for every eventuality and I expect to see a comprehensive plan. Constructive engagement is vitally important as the way forward is explored.
“I have been clear that we will continue to need every square inch of capacity in each of our hospitals and that is certainly the case for SWAH.
“Developments in medicine mean some changes are inevitable. However, reorganisation should result in expanded roles for local hospitals on key fronts, enhancing their role in local communities and their contribution to the NI health service. I am determined to make sure this is achieved at SWAH.”
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