Opinions unlikely to change

The people of Fermanagh are no strangers to having to fight for health services in the county.

People have mobilised here before and if the Western Trust hope the news of the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) becoming an overnight elective centre will dampen the feelings of neglect and mistrust people have in them, then they will be disappointed.

Campaigns are organised by the few and followed by the many and the latest one to fight changes at SWAH will continue.

You can only look at last Thursday’s Special Council meeting as a microcosm of the feelings of unhappiness in the county. About 100 people landed at the doors of Townhall on short notice to protest against the removal of emergency surgery.

And it was clear to see that in a tense and frank meeting with councillors and Trust representatives, there is a huge void to be covered for them both to be on the same side of this debate.

With a public consultation due in the new year, it is hard to see opinions changing on either side.

The Trust’s communications strategy since this news was first reported back in October has been shambolic. And they have a job on their hands to turn it around.

The Trust says recruitment and retention of staff to SWAH has been a problem for years. What does that say of the Trust and their management of the situation?

They say they have done all they can to address this. Have they?

No matter how many surgeons come out and say this will be better for patients overall or that SWAH is open for business - they are only words in reality at this stage.

What about the patients in Fermanagh, no matter how small the proportion who will have to bypass SWAH? Has the Trust taken into account the rurality and the poor infrastructure of Fermanagh? Will the ambulance service, which is already under huge strain, be able to put a model in place to cope?

At the minute, the people of Fermanagh are highly sceptical.