SOAS campaign seeking urgent ministerial meeting on emergency surgery  commissioning

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. 

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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."