Ulster Unionist Assembly Candidate, Councillor Rosemary Barton, has slammed suggestions that the Stoke Unit at the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen may close. Cllr Barton highlighted this as detrimental to the wellbeing of the people in Fermanagh and furthered the stripping of services offered at the South West Acute.

Cllr Barton stated:

“Any suggestion to close the Stroke Unit at the South West Acute is frankly an ill-thought out proposal with no consideration given to people of Fermanagh. If this closure is to go ahead, it would mean that the only Stoke Unit in the Western Trust left would be in Altnagelvin. So, if someone requires the service of a Stroke Unit, in for example West Fermanagh, it would mean an approximate two hour drive to Londonderry. This would be not only detrimental to a stroke patient’s health, in a situation where time is precious, but also to the family of the patient. It is important the family of the patient is around the patient following a stroke so to travel to Londonderry on a number of occasions, would be hugely difficult.

“It looks as if the wellbeing of the people in the West of Northern Ireland could be somewhat overlooked again, in favour of questionable, stringent cost cutting exercises. When the South West was built we were told that this would be a fully equipped hospital with high quality services available. However, this latest proposal signals the continuation of systematic service stripping in the South West.

“I would call on the Western Trust to be upfront with the people of Fermanagh and explain what the current situation is with the Stroke Unit in the South West. It is imperative for the health and wellbeing of everyone that this service is maintained in the South West Acute Hospital.”