THE public has six weeks to air their views on a controversial financial plan to save £12.5 million in the Western Trust’s 2017/18 budget.

The Western Trust released its Savings Plan yesterday (Thursday) during an ‘Extraordinary Western Trust Board meeting’ held at Altnagelvin.

If approved, it could result in, amongst other things: a ‘rationalisation and consolidation’ of day-care services affecting Dromore and Rosslea; the loss of eight to 10 nursing homes, an estimated 275 domiciliary care packages not being put in place, a reduction in routine elective surgery and a reformation of the neonatal service at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) to a ‘transitional care based service’.

One of the key issues within the proposals is that the Trust is suggesting a reduction in the reliance of high cost and non-NHS locums, nursing agency and agency Social work staff, upon which SWAH in particular has been relying heavily on to maintain safe service delivery.

All five of Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care Trusts have been tasked by the Department of Health to develop draft savings plans to deliver their share of a total of £70 million of savings in 2017/18.

It is the Western Trust’s responsibility to make up £12.5 million of this over all province wide savings plan.

The document released yesterday by the local Trust contains specific proposals related to a change or withdrawal of service, which are considered to be ‘major and/or controversial’ and will require the Department’s approval to implement, following the outcome of the public consultation.

“In looking to potential areas of spend reduction in-year the Trust has sought to take account of: Safety, Deliverability, Impact and Strategic Direction,” says the Savings Plan document.

In all, 12 proposals have been put forward in order to reach the Western Trust’s set target of £12.5 million savings this financial year.

Only four of these have been assessed as having a ‘low impact’ on our services, amounting to £3.1 million.

The remaining proposals, eight, are assessed as being ‘major and/or controversial’, amounting to £9.4 million in savings.

The consultation period began yesterday and will run until October 5, 2017,

The Trust plans to hold public meetings in Londonderry, Enniskillen, Limavady and Omagh during this time. The dates and times of these will be publicised at a later date.

You can respond to the consultation document by e-mail, letter or fax as follows:

Equality & Involvement Team,

Tyrone & Fermanagh Hospital,

1 Donaghanie Road

Omagh

BT79 0NS

Telephone: 028 8283 5278 or E-mail: equality.admin@westerntrust.hscni.net

The closing date for responses is October 5.