Three rural GP surgeries are to amalgamate at the beginning of next month, patients have been told.

A letter has been sent to patients of the three practices -- Benaughlin, Derrylin and Derrygonnelly surgeries -- to inform them that the amalgamation will take place in April. The new practice will known as Cuilcagh Medical Practice.

It is explained that the amalgamation is due to the retirement of Drs. John and Aisling Kirby on March 31 and the difficulty in recruiting young doctors to small rural practices.

Drs. Cunningham, Sweeney and Khew have agreed to amalgamate with the current Derrylin surgery to form a new partnership under the name of Cuilcagh Medical Practice and have secured two new medical partners, Dr. Michelle McBrien and Dr. Lynette Ferguson, the letter from the Health and Social Care Board reads.

“The Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) wishes to acknowledge the work of the GPs have done to attract these partners and secure the future of rural practice and continuity of care in the area. The HSCB is fully committed to the new partnership,” it states.

Full general medical services will continue at the surgeries at Marble Arch Road, Florencecourt, Main Street, Derrylin and Main Street, Derrygonnelly.

The letter also pays tribute to Drs. John and Aisling Kirby for the excellent care and service they have provided to the patients of Derrylin over the years.

“I would also like to acknowledge the significant work undertaken by the current GPs to set up the new Cuilcagh Medical Practice. This will ensure that patients continue to receive high quality services in the current locations,” it adds.

Meanwhile, Derrylin has been without a Post Office for the past six months.

A public consultation has been launched by Post Office Ltd on its proposal to move the service into the Spar store on Main Street, Derrylin.

Commenting on her “disappointment” at the six-month absence of Post Office services in the village, Erne West Independent Councillor Bernice Swift said: “Now we have Post Office engaging in another long, drawn out consultation process which will last another few months which means for the rural constituents of Derrylin and Teemore a serious length of time to be doing without their vital rural service.”

She said the lack of service is “having a serious adverse impact” and added: “People are having to travel quite the distance over to Kinawley and it’s not fair on any level or by any means for the elderly, vulnerable or for those people who do not have the means or affordability to travel or who don’t have a large family network to bring them in and out to the Post Office.”

She said “quite a number of people are rather incensed about this dire situation”.

She has proposed that Fermanagh and Omagh District Council write to Post Office, “calling for the vital service to be sustained and voicing discontent at the heel dragging and dithering that has taken place thus far.”