STANDARDS set out by the Department of Health are preventing the return of emergency general surgery (EGS) to the SWAH, the Stormont Health Committee has heard. In 2022, in the months before the ‘temporary’ removal of EGS from the Enniskillen hospital, the Department of Health launched the Review of General Surgery in Northern Ireland. This set […]
Fears rise after Trust comments at committee meeting
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At a Stormont health committee held in South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), committee members engaged with representatives of both hospital campaign group Save Our Acute Services and then the senior executive team of the Western Trust. The SOAS delegation of Helen Hamill, Karen Eccles and Jimmy Hamill presented testimony of the mounting human toll that […]
Trust announces closure of SWAH consultation
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THE Western Trust has announced it is closing the public consultation on the permanent removal of emergency general surgery (EGS) at the SWAH and will now move forward on visioning work for ‘Future Health and Care Services in Fermanagh and West Tyrone’. In July 2025, the Health Minister asked the Trust to end the current consultation and begin the process […]
SWAH surgery debated at Stormont
There are now renewed calls for Minister Mike Nesbitt to intervene on behalf of Fermanagh patients.
Fermanagh hospitality businesses rally behind SOAS
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IN the latest show of solidarity in the fight to save emergency general surgery (EGS) at the SWAH, local hoteliers have issued an open letter of concern to health authorities. Representatives of the Fermanagh Lakelands Hotels Association outlined the significant and direct threat the service cut poses to the local tourism and hospitality sector. They wrote, “The […]
Garrison public meeting on future of SWAH surgery
A PUBLIC meeting will take place in Garrison tomorrow, Thursday, 21 August, to discuss the impact of the removal of emergency general surgery from the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) in Enniskillen. Campaign group SOAS (Save Our Acute Services) has been invited to speak at the event, where they will present their roadmap and proposals, […]
Mum’s warning after emergency transfer from SWAH
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The withdrawal of emergency general surgery at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) has sparked mounting concern among local residents, many of whom fear the long-term impact on timely and effective care. One local family has now shared their firsthand experience, offering insight into the reality faced by patients following the controversial change. Laura Pickett, who […]
Hundreds gather in Enniskillen for SOAS public meeting
A powerful show of community solidarity was on display last night as hundreds gathered at the Westville Hotel in Enniskillen for a public meeting hosted by Save Our Acute Services (SOAS), the local campaign fighting to restore Emergency General Surgery (EGS) to the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH). The evening began with a solemn moment […]
Businesses join forces to support SWAH services
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TWENTY-NINE major Fermanagh business employers have come together to issue a joint statement welcoming the pause in the consultation on the future of emergency general surgery (EGS) at the SWAH. The well known local companies and establishments, which together bring in millions to the economy and employ thousands locally, said the decision to pause the consultation […]
Public pressure ‘shifts momentum’ in SWAH surgery fight
CAMPAIGN group Save Our Acute Services (SOAS) has said public pressure has triggered a dramatic shift in momentum in the fight to save emergency general surgery at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) but has warned the battle is far from over. The group reported over half a million views on its social media platforms in […]