SOAS campaign seeking urgent ministerial meeting on emergency surgery commissioning
Campaigners welcome Ministerial statement to fully consider any business case that is developed
Health campaign group, Save Our Acute Services (SOAS) has written to Minister for Health Mike Nesbitt seeking an urgent meeting on the commissioning of a new emergency surgery provision at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH).
The campaign recently met with management in the Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT)who have written to the Department of Health to ask if they wish to bring forward a business case for a newly commissioned service at the hospital.
In an Assembly Written response last week - the Minister stated that it is for the WHSCT to determine how it will configure its general surgical service to meet the departmental standards and that he would fully consider any business case that is developed.
SOAS is now calling for funding to be provided in the three-year budget currently being discussed and consulted on by the Northern Ireland Executive.
SOAS spokesperson Donal O'Cofaigh said: "Western Trust management has written to the Department of Health asking if they wish to bring forward a case for a newly commissioned service. We welcome the confirmation from the Minister for Health that he would fully consider any business case that is developed.
"The allocation of appropriate funds for a newly commissioned surgical service at SWAH - as per the SOAS Roadmap proposals – would be potentially transformative for the wider health service in Northern Ireland as it would underpin the full utilisation of theatre capacity in SWAH in making a huge contribution to waiting lists.
"There is no overriding medical reason that a new emergency general surgery provision cannot be commissioned. It is a question of political priorities. The loss of timely access to emergency surgery is a denial of our community's fundamental human and health rights. Many are asking is the price of a Fermanagh life worth less than elsewhere in Northern Ireland?
"SOAS is seeking an urgent maeeting on this issue with the Minister. We are encouraging the local community to demand that the politicians deliver. It is vital that our right to equality to health care is represented in the new budget."