Over 700 people turned out for a public health meeting at the Lakeland Forum on planned health cuts
The Western Trust has welcomed the allocation of an additional £40m for its health budget which will prevent some of the drastic savings proposals that were set to hit the local health service going ahead.
The Department of Health has been allocated the funds for health and social care by the Department of Finance, allowing the Trust to remove the high impact savings proposals in their savings plan.
The Trust had proposed £12.5 million in cuts which prompted massive turnouts at two recent public consultation meetings in Enniskillen where fears were expressed about the future of SWAH and the local health system, including the under-threat neonatal unit as well as sweeping cuts to elderly services.
A spokesman for the Western Trust said the extra funds means it will be able to remove the high impact savings proposals in their savings plan.
He added: “The draft plan will be put to our extraordinary Trust Board meeting for approval this Friday along with the feedback from our consultation process. It will be recommended that the Trust accept no or low impact proposals in the savings plan.
“The proposals that will no longer be considered include; the temporary reduction in routine elective care, reduction in provision of domiciliary care packages, consolidation of residential and daycare services for older people and the remodelling of neo-natal services at South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen.
“The Trust would like to extend its thanks to all of the individuals and groups who took part in the consultation process and made their views known.”
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