23/02/2026
The Western Trust has today released independent outcomes data for Emergency General Surgery services confirming ‘a clear and statistically significant reduction in mortality rate’ during the period December 2022 to the end of April 2025.
The temporary suspension of Emergency General Surgery at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) was implemented as an emergency measure and a matter of public safety in December 2022. This was due to significant and ongoing difficulties in recruiting and retaining the required consultant workforce, which meant that there were no substantive consultant general surgeons available to work on the emergency rota at the Hospital. This position was further influenced by the introduction of revised Emergency General Surgery Safety Standards by the Department of Health in June 2022.
All Trusts in Northern Ireland participate in independent benchmarking through CHKS (Caspe Healthcare Knowledge Systems) which analyses clinical data to assess outcomes including mortality, complications, readmissions, efficiency, safety, and quality.
This most recent CHKS Independent Review (January 2026) and analysis has confirmed improved outcomes for Western Trust patients relating to the period December 2022 through to April 2025 (2 years and 5 months), showing that *Mortality has reduced by 24%, Complications have reduced by 28.5% and Readmissions have reduced by 22.5%.
These measurements reflect an improving picture in providing safer care and better recovery outcomes for patients across the Western Trust area. The CHKS have concluded:
“Overall, the data shows a clear and statistically significant reduction in mortality rate for emergency surgery patients following the revision to surgical services.”
Western Trust Chief Executive Neil Guckian commented:
“The independent evidence covering December 2022 to April 2025 confirms that mortality for Emergency General Surgery patients has reduced by 24%. That is a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in survival. Patient safety was the reason for the temporary suspension, and the independent data demonstrates that survival outcomes have improved since that decision had to be taken.”
The Trust is fully compliant with the revised Department of Health Emergency General Surgery standards introduced in June 2022. These standards were designed to ensure that patients across Northern Ireland receive safe, specialist emergency surgical care, regardless of where they live.
Compliance has required a significant transformation of the Trust’s Consultant Workforce and the establishment of a 24/7 Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Pathway.
Mr Guckian added:
“We recognise that this remains a sensitive issue for many people. Our responsibility is to ensure that services are safe, sustainable and we deliver the best possible outcomes for the population we serve and this independent evidence shows improved survival outcomes for patients requiring Emergency General Surgery.
In addition there are now 5.6 patients per day with emergency general surgery related issues who remain in South West Acute Hospital and receive same-day or next-day care through the Emergency Surgical Ambulatory Assessment Unit. A total of 2.5 patients per day require transfer for in-patient admission in Altnagelvin Hospital.”
- FACT Sheet and Information on the change to Emergency General Surgery and Latest Data and Information – 23 February 2026
- Emergency General Surgery – Timeline since temporary change of service in the Western Trust
- Independent Outcomes Review Report from CHKS (Jan 2026)
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