Trust says ICU at SWAH won’t be downgraded


THE Western Health and Social Care Trust has said there’s “no plans whatsoever” to downgrade the ICU department at the South West Acute Hospital after rumours circulated over its future. There had been speculation locally that the future of the intensive care unit at the SWAH was in doubt, after months of campaigning in a bid […]


Fermanagh family makes special trip to Paris


A FERMANAGH family have embarked on a trip of a lifetime thanks to NI Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust (NICLT). A group of 44 people, including local health professionals, parents, and 20 brave children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, embarked on a magical trip to Disneyland Paris recently. This special journey, which resumed […]


Fermanagh volunteers win prestigious national award


FERMANAGH locals Lizzie Hogg and Thomas Maguire have won the prestigious Marsh Trust Award for Museum Learning, in partnership with the British Museum. The pair, who have both been volunteering at Castle Coole for almost 15 years were honoured at a ceremony in London last Monday. The Marsh Awards celebrate outstanding volunteers in museums and […]


Plans in place to support elderly Fermanagh residents


ELDERLY Fermanagh residents are going to be given the opportunity to “socialise and create connections” next month as part of a community-wide programme. The National Institutes of Health recently revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic caused an increase in loneliness among elderly residents, with a direct correlation to cognitive decline in older adults. Fermanagh and Omagh […]


Ederney group gets £296k in funding


POPULAR community hub, Murphy’s on Main Street in Ederney, has been awarded more than £296k in National Lottery funding to support its activities over the next three years. The Ederney Community Development Trust will use the money to run new programmes and events there creating more opportunities for local people to meet and look after their health […]


Fermanagh Parkinson’s patient left to suffer alone


A LOCAL pensioner has revealed the heartbreaking impact staff shortages and service cuts are having on older patients here in Fermanagh. The Western Trust has apologised this week, via the Herald, to local patients after it emerged the Parkinson’s Clinics at the SWAH were currently not operating. Stating this was due to capacity exceeding demand, coupled […]


Trust urged to listen to heartbreaking stories


A YOUNG autistic boy from Clogher was left lying on the road for over an hour in a storm after being knocked down, a meeting on the future of services at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) has heard. The family of Jayden Dempsey (11) believe the reason he suffered in cold and in pain for […]


SWAH ‘consolation prize’ blasted as ‘disgraceful’


THE new elective surgery unit for overnight patients at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) has been blasted as a “disgraceful consolation prize”. Announced by the Western Trust, the new unit has its first patients this week in a move to help the Health Service in the North reduce waiting lists for surgical procedures. However, […]


Ancidents against A&E staff are ‘despicable’


THE NUMBER of times Police have been called to the South West Acute Hospital Emergency Department within the last three years has been revealed. A Freedom of Information request by this newspaper sought details on the number of times Police were called to incidents of violence at the local Emergency Department. A response to this query […]