Fermanagh and Omagh Council seeking assurances on meaningful engagement with Trust

Matters came to a head when Western Trust staff pulled out of a scheduled subcommittee meeting on April 27 citing “pre-election sensitivities”. This was heavily criticised by several councillors as the election date was already known, when the Western Trust initially agreed to be present.

As a result, Chief Executive Alison McCullagh told members the subcommittee’s terms of reference require at least two Western Trust staff to be in attendance for the meeting to proceed.

Instead, an informal discussion took place, and although press and public were excluded, a detailed update was provided at the May council meeting.

Ms McCullagh said: “A number of points were considered informally and approval is now sought for those to be actioned.”

These include writing to the Western Trust Chief Executive, “To seek a formal assurance for ongoing meaningful engagement between him and the Senior Management Team, with council and to express concern in relation to what would appear to be a diminution in recent times of council engagement.”

A formal update will be requested on the status of Drumclay Nursing Home to ascertain if this could offer a bed-blocking solution.

In addition an urgent update is sought around the provision of acute services at South West Acute Hospital and the Minister for Health is to be asked for a timescale on the Omagh acute mental health unit.

Clarification is also to be sought on the turnaround time for the Trust addressing elected members' queries.

Ulster Unionist Councillor Victor Warrington proposed the points were actioned noting: “All were made very strongly.”

Seconding, Councillor Bernice Swift, Independent stated: “I fully endorse what has been outlined. We most definitely want a swift response around the rationale and raison d’etre for what seems to be the diminution of (Western Trust) attendance recently … We still have many issues we need to progress effectively which remain very relevant to those adversely affected. A meeting with the (Trust) Chief Executive is paramount to how we progress together effectively, because thus far it has been rather abysmal.”

BBC Local Democracy asked the Western Trust a series of questions including why “pre-election sensitives” were cited and how many other meetings have been cancelled on this basis.

With the Trust Board meeting scheduled for 5 May – Election Day – has this been affected?

Given the election date has been known for some time why did WHSCT originally agree to the meeting of 27 April 2022?

Western Trust aware at least two members of their staff must be in attendance at the subcommittee meeting or it could not proceed and why has a new date not yet been identified?

The first response  said: “We are working under the guidance of purdah issued to all Trusts by the Department of Health. Councillors sitting on local committees will also be candidates in the upcoming election. We have to exercise caution when engaging with public representatives who represent political parties standing for election during the purdah period. We will continue with our normal open engagement arrangements with councils and public representatives when purdah ends.  All Trusts are doing the same.”

This didn’t answer the majority of questions, which were sent back.

A one-line response advised the Trust Board meeting is scheduled for  Thursday 5 May, but this was already known, and it was pointed out this is also Election Day, so asked again if Trust staff would be attending?

A further request was made to answer the questions still not addressed.

A spokesperson advised the scheduled subcommittee meeting was agreed at the beginning of 2022: “before the pre-election period was known”.

The meeting is currently being rescheduled for as soon as possible, potentially this month.

No reference was made to the Trust Board meeting or if they were aware non-attendance at the subcommittee effectively meant it could not proceed.