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Fermanagh and West Tyrone Future Health and Care Services

Western Trust moving forward on visioning work for ‘Future Health and Care Services in Fermanagh and West Tyrone’

On 7 October 2025, the Trust Board formally agreed to close the Public Consultation and also approved the start of new work to design and develop a Vision Plan — a forward-looking programme that will focus on the people and places of Fermanagh and West Tyrone. As requested by so many people and partners, including elected Representatives, this plan will need a meaningful period of engagement and listening sessions and will include specific work relating to the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH). Further details will be provided as this programme progresses on this Information Online Hub.

Trust provides update on Emergency General Surgery and response to the SOAS Roadmap recommendations

Following considerable feedback from staff and the public, the Western Health and Social Care Trust is providing detailed updates now in respect of the following:

  • Western Trust Response Brief to the SOAS Roadmap – 20 Recommendations
  • Western Trust Update Statement and current position in respect of Emergency General Surgery

The Trust respects the work undertaken by SOAS in producing the Roadmap and appreciate the significant time and effort which the hospital campaign pressure group have taken to put forward its 20 recommendations. We recognise the deep interest and concern within the community about the future of health and care services in Fermanagh and West Tyrone.  We hope to work alongside local people through the networks and representatives they know and are familiar with to shape a vision for safe and sustainable health and care services into the future.

SOAS have put forward 20 proposed recommendations.  We agree with some of these, as they align closely with work that we already have underway in the Trust, and with the Department of Health, or we have made clear are our strategic direction of travel. Others will require decisions or leadership at regional, national or cross-border level if they are to move forward.  We must be clear that a small number of recommendations cannot be supported, because they do not meet the Department of Health’s clinical standards for safe care of surgical patients or commissioning requirements.

Our initial position on the Roadmap recommendations is set out in the attached summary brief, and we welcome dialogue with the SOAS group and all stakeholders as our work progresses.

For full story, visit:https://westerntrust.hscni.net/update-on-emergency-general-surgery-and-response-to-the-soas-roadmap-recommendations/

To view the Trust’s full response to the SOAS roadmap, visit: https://westerntrust.hscni.net/download/1055/fwt/24581/20260122-western-trust-response-brief-to-the-soas-roadmap-20-recommendations.pdf

To view the Trust’s current position in respect of Emergency General Surgery, visit:

https://westerntrust.hscni.net/download/1055/fwt/24582/20260120-western-trust-briefing-statement-update-on-emergency-general-surgery-change-and-current-position-final.pdf

Stormont Health Committee visits Cardiac Services at South West Acute Hospital

Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Health Committee recently visited the Cardiac Ward and Cardiac Imaging Centre at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), where they met staff and patients and learned more about the services provided.

The visit was led by Consultant Cardiologist Professor Monica Monaghan, who showed members around the cardiac unit and imaging facilities, including the CT and MRI scanning services. Committee members also had the opportunity to speak with the multidisciplinary team and patient’s currently receiving care there.

Prof Monaghan explained

“A significant proportion of patients attending the Emergency Department require admission to medical specialties such as cardiology, respiratory medicine and gastroenterology. The cardiac team treats a wide range of acute conditions, including heart attacks, abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure and valve disease.”

SWAH is one of only three centres in Northern Ireland providing cardiac MRI, with patients travelling from across the region to access this specialist service. The hospital operates as part of a regional hub-and-spoke model, supporting both local and regional cardiac care.

Prof Monaghan also emphasised the importance of treating patients holistically, working closely with nurses, pharmacists and other specialists to achieve best outcomes. Specialist pharmacist Laura Cox commented:

“Medication management plays a vital role in supporting patients with multiple conditions, helping to optimise treatment, reduce side effects and empower patients to manage their health more effectively.”

The visit highlighted the strength, expertise and teamwork of cardiac services at SWAH, and their important role within the regional health system. SWAH remains an important Acute Hospital within the Northern Ireland hospital network and its acute services provision has not changed. 

​SWAH provides a 24/7 Type 1 Emergency Department, maternity services (Obstetrics and Gynaecology), full resuscitation facilities and Intensive Care Unit.

Cardiology Staff at South West Acute Hospital meet ‘Hero’ Dog Polly

Our hardworking Cardiology staff at South West Acute Hospital were delighted to welcome a furry visitor to their department recently. 
The remarkable canine ‘Polly’ the Golden Retriever, from Ballinamallard has been crowned a ‘Hero Dog’ by the British Heart Foundation, as it was her bark in the middle of the night that alerted owner Hannah Cooke that her husband Adam had gone in to cardiac arrest.
All because of Polly’s bark, Hannah was given those critical minutes to perform CPR until help arrived. Adam was then treated by the amazing Cardiology staff at South West Acute Hospital – it was truly a team effort!
Following successful treatment and recovery Adam, wife Hanna and family were able to return to the hospital, with Polly, to personally thank the cardiology staff. Professor Monica Monaghan, Consultation Cardiologist at South West Acute Hospital said:
“It was incredibly moving to see Adam and his family visit our Department after an event like Adam endured, but we were particularly delighted to also meet Polly for the first time. That really brings a buoyancy to the staff when they see the efforts that they put in.”

Western Trust meet with Fermanagh Business Leaders: The Trust have met with Business Leaders in Fermanagh as part of an ongoing stakeholder engagement period to listen to and discuss concerns raised by the group.

Western Trust Chief Executive and Senior Leaders met with members of the Fermanagh Business Leaders Group at Encirc facilities in Derrylin, Fermanagh.

Chief Executive, Neil Guckian, said:

“We welcomed the opportunity to meet with Fermanagh business leaders today at Encirc. Following a tour of Encirc’s impressive facilities in Derrylin, our senior team had open and constructive discussions, listening carefully to concerns raised about the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) and wider health services. We were clear in our discussions that SWAH is a vital and valued part of the health service locally, with significant strengths, and that it will continue to play an important role in the future delivery of health and care in the area.

“We value these conversations and remain committed to ongoing engagement and clear communication as we work together to shape the future of health and care in Fermanagh and West Tyrone.”

Correspondence received by Fermanagh Business Leaders Group

Western Trust provides Independent Improved Outcomes Data for Emergency General Surgery Patients to Assembly Committee for Health

The Western Trust was pleased to host the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Health at the South West Acute Hospital on Thursday 27 November.

Western Trust Chair, Dr Tom Frawley and Chief Executive, Neil Guckian, outlined to Committee Members the significant and growing challenges facing the Western Trust, including rising population needs, pressures on mental health and social care, increasing financial constraints, and ongoing medical workforce difficulties. They also provided an update on the developments in both Emergency General Surgery (EGS) and elective services, set against persistent winter pressures and increasing Emergency Department demand.

Chief Executive, Neil Guckian, outlined the ongoing shift across Northern Ireland and the UK towards day-case and ambulatory surgery, noting that,

“Hundreds of patients every year are now safely treated through ambulatory pathways at South West Acute and Altnagelvin Hospitals, with over five patients per day presenting at South West Acute Hospital receiving same-day or next-day assessment and treatment, and 2.5 patients per day transferred for inpatient care and treatment to Altnagelvin Hospital.”

A central theme of the Western Trust’s update was the continued improvement in outcomes for EGS patients since the temporary change in 2022. Mr Guckian confirmed:

“The Western Trust is fully compliant with the revised Emergency General Surgery standards introduced by former Minister Robin Swann in 2022. These standards were created to ensure that no matter where a patient lives in Northern Ireland, they receive safe, specialist care that meets the highest clinical benchmarks. Compliance with these standards has required significant transformation of our consultant workforce and the establishment of a 24/7 upper gastrointestinal bleeding pathway.”

All HSC Trusts in Northern Ireland have contracts with a benchmarking organisation, CHKS, who receive raw data which they analyse to produce mortality, flow, efficiency and safety and quality metrics. This independent CHKS analysis shows that since the introduction of the new clinical pathways, outcomes for general surgery patients across the Trust have continued to improve. Mortality has reduced by approximately 14%, complications by 21%, and readmissions by 22% – important indicators of safer care and better recovery for patients.

Western Trust provides Independent Improved Outcomes Data for Emergency General Surgery Patients to Assembly Committee for Health | Western Health & Social Care Trust

Western Trust begin stakeholder pre engagement meetings schedule

Following correspondence received from SOAS, as part of the Trust’s ongoing open and transparent approach to informing our staff and the public, we are publishing this information on our information hub.

SOAS decline offer of Initial Meeting with Western Trust Executive

Following a considerable number of communications between SOAS and the Trust in recent weeks, SOAS declined the meeting with the Trust at 5pm on Thursday 20 November and they notified the Council that the meeting would not be going ahead. The Trust has not refused to meet with SOAS and indeed have asked the local group to reconsider and that the opportunity remains open to proceed with a meeting in the future with suggested balanced arrangements to include an agreed agenda, an independent chair without a prior public position on the SOAS Roadmap, and a non-livestreamed initial meeting. The Trust has also provided an option for both parties to be invited to Council to present equally there.

Western Trust intervention secures Primary Care Services in three GP Practices in Fermanagh and West Tyrone

The Western Trust has intervened and taken action to support several GP practices in Fermanagh and West Tyrone that were at risk of closing and patients being dispersed to other GP Practices, following engagement with the Department of Health.

This Trust support has helped to keep GP services running in Fintona, Dromore and Trillick, and Brookeborough and Tempo, which may have closed down otherwise.

The Western Trust is currently planning work with all relevant partners and stakeholders to develop a shared understanding of local health and care needs, and to listen to the community on the future of healthcare in Fermanagh and West Tyrone. This follows the Health Minister’s request to begin the process of producing a vision plan, emphasising how the South West Acute Hospital will meet the health needs of its current and future population in the area.

Full story here: Trust Helps Keep Local GP Surgeries Open in Tyrone and Fermanagh | Western Health & Social Care Trust

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