DESPITE the fact it provides a vital service in the community, helping in the region of 400 local women a year, Fermanagh Women’s Aid (FWA) relies on grass-roots fundraising to help it continue its life-saving work. Indeed, only 40 percent of the service’s funding comes from statutory sources, with the rest of its funding coming […]
Tax reforms could threaten Fermanagh cab industry
FERMANAGH taxi drivers have been left fearing for the future and their livelihoods after proposed reforms to taxes and VAT threaten to deeply hamper the local and national cab industry. Many households and residents are concerned over what financial changes will be implemented when UK Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, sets out her next budget plans on […]
Lisnaskea plan could save Fermanagh GP crisis
NEWS that the construction of a new state-of-the-art health centre in Lisnaskea will begin within weeks has been greeted with cautious optimism, and the hope that the grand plan could solve the deepening GP crisis in Fermanagh. The proposed centre will be the biggest health project the county has seen since the South West Acute Hospital was built in 2012. […]
Fire Service stalwart dies after Fermanagh hit-and-run
A 70-YEAR-OLD motorist has been charged after a man died following a hit-and-run in Belleek on Thursday. Richard Maze, 70, who was riding a motorbike, died at the scene. Police received a report of the accident on the Boa Island Road at around 2:55pm on Thursday. A PSNI spokesperson said Mr Maze’s motorbike collided with a dark-coloured […]
A long winter ahead for Fermanagh health service
LOCAL health campaigners have warned the patients of Fermanagh are facing “the most dramatic winter for healthcare” this year, with moves elsewhere in the health service expected to put even more pressure on our already-struggling system. Last week it was confirmed the Northern Trust had proposed moving all emergency general surgery (EGS) to one hospital, […]
More junior doctors’ strike action in Fermanagh
FURTHER disruption to health services will be experienced in Fermanagh this week, due to the latest strike action being taken by junior doctors. This will run to 7am on Saturday. This follows two 48-hour walkouts last month from May 22-24. Patients are advised to expect widespread disruption to normal services. Health and Social Care Trust websites will […]
More pain for Fermanagh patients
YET another service has gone at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH). The Osteoporosis Clinic, which was held once a week and gave essential medical treatment to those suffering from the condition, has closed temporarily due to a staffing shortage. Worse still, some patients are unaware of the closure, and those who do know about it […]
Average wait ‘over 40 hours’ for bed at Altnagelvin
THE Save Our Acute Services (SOAS) group has claimed it takes an average time of ‘over 40 hours’ for emergency surgical patients to get a bed in the Altnagelvin Hospital. As part of a large submission made by SOAS to the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), the campaign highlighted how patients from SWAH are being forced […]
Family survives food truck fire in Enniskillen
AN Enniskillen man and his young family narrowly escaped serious injury when the chip van they were working in suddenly went ablaze at the weekend. Van owner Paddy McDonnell was working in the Diamond area of Enniskillen on Saturday night when flames began shooting dramatically from his vehicle into the air and black smoke billowed skywards. Mr McDonnell […]
BREAKING: GP appointed for Fermanagh border practice
THE Swanlinbar community has said they’re ‘delighted’ after the appointment of a new GP. For the past three years the practice just across the border has been run on a full-time basis by a locum GP. On Friday afternoon, Swanlinbar Development Association confirmed that a new GP has been appointed to the Swanlinbar Health Centre […]