Nesbitt gives green light for new Lisnaskea Health and Care Centre.
Construction of the new health and care centre in Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, is set to commence within weeks having received final sign off from the Health Minister.
Once operational, the new hub will support a network of 16 GPs and provide services to around 30,000 people in the Lisnaskea and surrounding East Fermanagh area.
Minister Nesbitt said: “I was delighted to confirm with the Lisnaskea practice team this morning that the necessary approvals are now in place for the development of the new health and care centre. This means the Western Health and Social Care Trust will now be able to move ahead with awarding the construction contract, allowing work to begin on site within weeks.
“I appreciate that primary care services are under particular strain in the Lisnaskea and East Fermanagh area and recognise that people have been waiting for some time on this news. However, it was imperative that the necessary checks and balances were completed before proceeding.
“This significant investment will provide a central hub in Lisnaskea, enabling patients and service users to benefit from improved accessibility and increased multi-disciplinary provision in areas such as; Podiatry, Speech & Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Mental Health Services and Older People services.
Minister Nesbitt added: “There are significant pressures across our health and social care system, and while our primary care teams are at the frontline in facing this challenge, I was incredibly disappointed to learn of the completely unacceptable behaviour that the Lisnaskea practice team have recently experienced. There is no place for such behaviour, and I reiterated my full support for the team when speaking to them today. As Health Minister I remain committed to investing in primary care infrastructure to support the transformation of health and social care and help improve services for the population of Northern Ireland.”
Eimear McCauley, Western Trust Director of Finance, Contracts and Capital Development added: “We welcome this project moving to construction as another step in providing an appropriate setting for the delivery of services in South East Fermanagh, both from opening of the new facility and for many years ahead. This milestone has been achieved through the collaborative working of GP representatives, Trust staff and DoH personnel with a focus on meeting the needs of patients and clients of Lisnaskea and the wider area.”
The Western Health and Social Care Trust will now move to award the new construction contract in the coming weeks. Planning permission for the facility has already been approved following the completion of the detailed design for the new building.
It is anticipated that the new health and care centre will open in 2026.
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