Principals demand return of emergency surgery at SWAH

ALMOST 40 local primary school principals have joined forces to call for the urgent reinstatement of emergency general surgery (EGS) at the SWAH.
The school leaders, from right across the county, have warned children and families face unnecessary risk if service is permanently removed.
In an open letter published before the Christmas break, the Fermanagh Primary Principals’ Network welcomed the intervention of Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and the Patient Client Council in halting the Western Trust’s consultation on removing EGS from SWAH.
“As Principals who meet through the Fermanagh Primary Principals’ Network, we have responsibility for the education and care of thousands of young children across the county,” they wrote.
“We expect a high level of healthcare services to be maintained at our local hospital.
“Should any of our pupils require urgent surgery because of an accident at school or an injury during play or sporting activities, it is crucial that SWAH has the facilities and expertise to deal with such cases promptly and safely.”
The letter continued, “In the past academic year, our schools have relied on ambulance services on numerous occasions to treat pupils.
“Children regularly need to be taken to Accident and Emergency at SWAH for urgent care.
“The removal of emergency surgical services from SWAH places our pupils, staff, and families at increased risk and creates unacceptable delays in treatment.”
The principals also voiced their support for local campaign Save Our Acute Services (SOAS), stating the group’s ‘roadmap’ provided a vision for the future of SWAH.
“Primary schools in Fermanagh employ hundreds of teaching and support staff and educate thousands of pupils,” they continued.
Staff and pupils need access to emergency surgery close to home. The current process of transferring emergency surgical patients to Altnagelvin is deeply flawed.
“We know that current HSC capacity already fails to meet demand and cannot sustain a resilient ambulance system.
“This has been repeatedly highlighted by healthcare professionals, regulators, and trade unions,” the letter warns.
The letter concluded, “We, as primary school principals, call on decision-makers to work together toward a model of care that meets the needs of our community and reflects the realities of rural healthcare.”