OUR local MLAs said they were dealing with ‘assembly business’ on Monday night as they noticeably failed to show up to the launch of SOAS’ discussion paper on how to save SWAH.
A huge crowd turned out to Fermanagh House, with hundreds of locals intriguingly attending to find out more about the roadmap for the restoration of services at South West Acute Hospital.
Only a few councillors attended the event with the five Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLAs, and local MP Pat Cullen, failing to attend. The ‘Herald asked them for their reasons.
“I was not able to attend the launch of the roadmap as the Assembly business concluded on Monday at 6:30pm and I was already committed in other meetings,” MLA, Deborah Erskine, said.
“By the time I had reached the constituency from Belfast, the meeting has already continued.”
The DUP MLA said she ‘replied to that email’ from SOAS explaining she could not attend.
Ms Erskine reiterated that she remains committed to securing services at the SWAH.
“I live in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. It would be totally unfair to cast a dispersion that I do not think good health services are important to me,” she told the ‘Herald.
“I use the health service as well. They are important to everyone. That is why there is a consultation process being undertaken by the Department of Health.
“I would encourage everyone to respond to that consultation, which is wide ranging on hospital services and not solely related to Emergency General Surgery.”
She also said that she will be in contact with the campaign group and support their roadmap.
“I will be reading the SOAS document which is their response to the Department of Health’s consultation ‘Hospitals – Creating a Network for Better Outcomes’,” said Ms Erskine.
“The Department of Health’s consultation was discussed in the Assembly Chamber before Christmas. I have already raised questions in the Assembly regarding this – both written and oral.
“This Assembly mandate I have raised over 100 questions to the respective Health Minister’s, not least countless pieces of correspondence via my office.”
Ulster Unionist MLA, Diana Armstrong, said she could not attend the meeting at Fermanagh House in Enniskillen as she was at Stormont ‘late into the evening’.
“I was aware of the event and its significance,” she said in a statement.
“Although I could not be there in person, I have regularly engaged with the group and its work since the suspension of the Emergency General Surgery.”
The MLA also voiced her support for the SOAS roadmap.
“I want to see the return of safe emergency surgery at South West Acute and have continually pushed for this at Council and Assembly level,” Ms Armstrong said.
“The positive promotion of South West Acute Hospital and the continued expansion of the elective surgery is an important factor in the promotion of the sustainability of SWAH.
“If the SOAS report provides an avenue for the successful restoration of services at the SWAH then I will of course promote this work.”
None of the three Sinn Féin MLAs, Jemma Dolan, Áine Murphy or Colm Gildernew were in attendance. A statement from the party said that they “remain in contact” with SOAS.
“We support the reinstatement of emergency general surgery in the South West Acute Hospital and the necessary staffing to resource those services,” the statement read.
“We remain in contact with the Save our Acute Services (SOAS) campaign group, with Pat Cullen MP meeting them as recently as Wednesday.
“A number of Sinn Féin councillors also attended Monday’s public meeting organised by SOAS.”
MP, Pat Cullen, met with representatives from SOAS on Wednesday.
“I’m pleased you’ve found our meetings to be positive and helpful in developing the framework document,” Ms Cullen posted on social media.
“The position of Sinn Féin Ireland remains, we wish to see emergency general surgery returned to SWAH and for the hospital to work at full commissioned capacity.
“We need to have the RQIA report released without any further delay. SOAS has agreed to take on board further suggestions from our meeting and I look forward to reading the report in detail.”
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