Minister denies Fermanagh ambulance claims

THE HEALTH Minister has refuted claims funding for an extra ambulance for the Fermanagh area will not be granted until the removal of emergency general surgery (EGS) from the SWAH is made permanent.
Speaking in the Assembly in response to a question from Fermanagh MLA Diana Armstrong, Minister Mike Nesbitt said the claims were the result of “a rather unfortunate and mistaken reflection in [the Western] Trust minutes” of their February board meeting.
As previously reported by the ‘Herald, there was deep concern locally after campaign group Save Our Acute Services shared a comment from Trust chief executive that had been noted in the minutes of the meeting, which claimed funding for the much-needed extra ambulance would not be released while the temporary suspension of SWAH EGS was made permanent.
Ms Armstrong, who is Minister Nesbitt’s party colleague in the UUP, raised the issue in the Stormont chamber last week. In response, the Minister suggested there may have been confusion regarding one-off or recurring funding.
“I am aware of the claims, and I find them quite disturbing actually,” said Minister Nesbitt.
“First of all, no decision has been made on a permanent move, and that decision rests with the Western Trust, not with me.
“They will make a decision, and I don’t know what decision they’re going to make, and then it will come to me and it will be up to me to endorse it or not.
“I want to be clear, as Minister I’m categorically stating it’s not the case that any additional funding is dependent on the temporary change becoming a permanent change.
“And perhaps a rather unfortunate and mistaken reflection in Trust minutes relates to the fact that any such request for funding would be non-recurrent, but that’s simply reflecting the these arrangements are temporary, but that’s completely different to no funding being made available.”
Ms Armstrong then asked Minister Nesbitt about his commitment to the recommendations in the recent RQIA report urging better engagement between the Trust and NIAS.
Stating he was “very well aware of the sensitivities of the issue” for people in the local area, Minister Nesbitt said he was “more than happy to provide that reassurance.”
“It is my understanding the Western Trust has daily engagement with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, daily engagement with the view of minimising the impact on capacity and including, where necessary, the best use of outside ambulance provision,” he said.
“I still firmly support the original recommendation within the RQIA review of a more sustainable and resilient ambulance model, supporting emergency surgical services within the Trust.”