Could the Trust have avoided problems?

Editorial Department Denzil McDaniel - 1503 • Published 3 Sep 2009 09:00 0 Comments

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The Western Health Trust has taken the serious step of suspending routine obstetric and gynaecology service at the Erne Hospital. For the next few weeks, patients from Fermanagh will have to travel to the Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.

The Trust initially explained that a shortage of junior doctors resulted in their action; and they followed that up with a team of senior clinicians and management coming to the Erne to explain the situation further.

They appeared to blame the system whereby junior doctors are appointed. Our report on page one of this issue gives a full account of their rationale; but basically the six junior doctors allocated to the Erne from the beginning of August are not in post, for various reasons.

And the Trust is promising that they hope to have the service re-instated by September 14.

All fair enough, it would seem.

However, it would seem that yet again the Erne and the people of Fermanagh have again drawn the short straw when it comes to service from the Western Trust.

Could the Trust have done anything to avert this crisis? It seems that they knew about junior doctor staffing problems at least several weeks ahead of the beginning of August. Were they sitting back hoping that the problems would be resolved, or did they wait until 12 August when clinicians impressed on the Chief Executive, Elaine Way the seriousness of the situation?

If they started hearing about problems back in June or July (or maybe earlier) how come they arrive in September having to close services.

In Fermanagh, we have to wonder if this crisis had been looming at the Altnagelvin, would it have reached this point?

The Trust has moved this week to deny that there is an agenda to centralise services at the Altnagelvin. Unfortunately, people here need more than words.

There is a perception, not just among the general public, but among many grades and departments among our excellent health service staff in this area, that the Western Trust is Derry-based and that Fermanagh and Omagh will have to live with that.

It will take more that a statement or a letter to allay those genuinely-felt suspicions.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 03 Sep 09

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