10 July 2025

SDLP Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Group Leader Councillor Adam Gannon has called for additional public meetings to be held as part of the consultation on the future of emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH).

There is currently one event planned for the Killyhevlin Hotel in Enniskillen on 15th July, with another at the Waterfoot Hotel in Derry on the 17th and an online session on 27th August.

Registration for the event in Enniskillen reached capacity in two days.

Councillor Gannon said:

“For this event to reach capacity in 48 hours shows the huge strength of feeling there is in this area on the future of emergency general surgery at the SWAH. We have heard repeatedly from the Health Minister, his department and others on why this vital service should be removed, but now it is the turn of people living in this area, who rely on the SWAH for healthcare to have their say.

“While the public can respond to the consultation online and I would encourage people to do so, it is clear that holding one public event in Enniskillen will not meet the demand for everyone who wants to attend. Online registration places filled quickly during one of the busiest holiday periods of the year and this also discounts elderly people or the many people living here who struggle with poor connectivity and will have been unable to register as a result.

“For this public consultation to truly be representative we need to give everyone a chance to contribute and I am calling on the department to recognise this and organise further events in this area.

“I would also ask Health Minister Mike Nesbitt to attend the event in Enniskillen on 15th July so that he can hear directly from people here about what this decision will mean for them and their lives. It will be the Minister who ultimately makes this decision and the least he could do would be to come down here and acknowledge how passionately people feel about maintaining local health services.”