Campaigners Rally at Stormont to Restore South West Acute Hospital Services

Campaigners protested outside Stormont demanding the return of emergency general surgery services at South West Acute Hospital, highlighting concerns over travel times and healthcare access in Fermanagh and Tyrone.

Campaigners Protest at Stormont for Hospital Service Restoration

Campaigners gathered outside Stormont to demand the reinstatement of services at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) in County Fermanagh.

Emergency general surgery was temporarily suspended at SWAH in December 2022. This suspension has forced some patients from Fermanagh and Tyrone to travel to Londonderry, a journey that can take up to an hour and a half.

Approximately 200 protesters arrived by bus from Enniskillen, representing the campaign group Save Our Acute Services (SOAS), to make their voices heard at Stormont.

A hospital bed was pushed along the avenue, adorned with a quilt illustrating the group's road map—a detailed list of steps aimed at restoring services to the hospital.

Pacemaker A large group of campaigners standing in front of the footsteps of Stormont. — About 200 protesters arrived on buses from Enniskillen

In July 2025, the Western Health and Social Care Trust's board agreed to consult on the permanent removal of emergency general surgery services from SWAH, a decision that was subsequently paused.

The Department of Health (DoH) stated that any permanent changes to the delivery of emergency general surgery at SWAH would require its approval.

Addressing the crowd, Donal O'Cofaigh from SOAS attributed the decision to remove emergency general surgery to "funding, priorities and political choices."

"We won't wait any longer, this service has to come back," he said.

"Lives are being lost, lives have been ruined, we can't have this, this is unfair, it's an abuse of our civil and human rights."

'Anxieties Need to Be Heard'

Several assembly members attended the protest, including Sinn Féin's Jemma Dolan, DUP's Deborah Erskine, and SDLP's Colin McGrath, who delivered brief speeches in support of the campaign.

Deborah Erskine, DUP assembly member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, told NI that people are "very concerned about the time it takes for them in an emergency situation to get to hospital."

"Those anxieties need to be heard, they need to be heard by the health minister," she said, adding that "you cannot play politics with people's lives."

DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, standing in front of a microphone, wearing a light blue coat and a blue and cream scarf. There is a man standing behind her right shoulder. He has grey hair and is wearing a white shirt, blue suit and red tie. There is a woman behind her left shoulder, with short brown hair. She is wearing a pink top and a black suit. — Deborah Erskine says "you cannot play politics with people's lives"

Erskine expressed concern that the Department of Health is not treating rural communities equally compared to urban areas.

"We have an amazing hospital, we have an amazing setting there in Enniskillen. Let's utilise it to its full potential, let's see it thrive, I believe that it is but I believe that we can do more," she added.

Jemma Dolan, Sinn Féin assembly member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, noted that SWAH was originally selected to serve Fermanagh to capitalize on cross-border healthcare potential.

"We need the will from the health ministers north and south to bring the potential to the hospital and to make sure it's viable for the future," she said.

Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan standing behind a microphone. She is wearing a blue top and a cream jacket. She has long brown hair. There are campaigners standing behind her. — Sinn Féin's Jemma Dolan spoke to the crowd of campaigners outside Stormont

Campaigner James Francis Downey told NI that the health service in Fermanagh is inadequate, calling the situation a "disgrace."

"It's a beautiful hospital, a really wonderful hospital and it's not being utilised. It has the potential for cross-border healthcare from Fermanagh, Tyrone, parts of Sligo, Monaghan, all over."