Ms O’Neill made her comments in a letter to the council in response to their concerns over current difficulties in attracting and retaining medical staff across the district. 

In his letter, the Council’s chief Executive Brendan Hegarty said the local authority was “keen to work collaboratively” with the Department of Health and other relevant stakeholders to help address the current difficulties in attracting doctors to and retaining them in local practices and at the South West Acute Hospital. 

Last month this newspaper revealed that some local GPs are being forced to delay their retirement plans due to the ongoing shortage of young doctors in Fermanagh. Dr Roy Leary was due to leave his practice in Lisnaskea after 31 years  but had  to remain on because of the lack of locum doctors available to step in. 

Another local GP, Dr Kevin Devlin in Newtownbutler, who was expecting to retire around Easter, is also being forced to stay on. It has also emerged that Dr Vincent Davidson, who had retired from Lakeside Medical Practice in Enniskillen in January, has returned for a brief stint. 

Responding to the council’s letter, Ms O’Neill stated that she appreciated their interest in this important issue: “In relation to GP services in County Fermanagh, the HSC Board and Departmental officials have been working closely with GPs in the area to ensure the ongoing sustainability of services in light of recent and planed retirements of GP contractors. The HSC Board would welcome any assistance the Council may be able to provide in future recruitment initiatives and to encourage GPs to the Fermanagh area.”