THE entire Fermanagh population is potentially at risk due to additional pressures being put on the ambulance service as a result of the removal of emergency general surgery (EGS) from the SWAH.
While “no immediate” patient safety risks were identified in last week’s RQIA review report, with the report noting the review team had been working with limited data, evidence submitted by the NI Ambulance Service suggested there are indeed potential risks to local patients as a result of the changes.
The report noted no additional funding had been provided to NIAS to support the additional capacity needed to cope with the demand created since the removal of EGS from the SWAH at the end of 2022.
This had resulted in NIAS staff working significant overtime, clocking up 38,000 hours between December 2022 and March 2024 as a direct result of the SWAH EGS suspension, at a cost of £1.3 million.
RQIA noted this was “having a direct impact on staff morale.”
The report noted the suspension of EGS at the SWAH had not only resulted in additional journeys, but also delays in the handover of patients at Altnagelvin due to capacity at the Derry hospital.
Further, the RQIA review team was told of concerns that the increased pressure would have “an adverse impact on the availability and responsiveness of NIAS services to the wider Fermanagh area.”
“It was reported to the review team by NIAS that if an acute hospital reconfigures in a way that changes patient transport requirements without taking account of NIAS capacity considerations, there is a risk to service delivery and potentially patient safety,” the report stated.
NIAS told the review two additional ambulance crews would be needed to mitigate the changes, which could cost in the region of £2 million per year.
The report added, “This arrangement, relying on staff overtime and goodwill, creates a vulnerability in providing consistent service to support the mitigations set out in the service model.
“It may also have an impact on the responsiveness of the NIAS service for the wider area.”
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