Members of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council are to write back to the Department of Health following the receipt of a response sent after the Western Health and Social Care Trust took on the Dromore and Trillick GP Contract, enquiring why the same was not done for Rosslea Surgery.

A reply set out how the single-handed GP in Rosslea terminated in June, 2016, and the Department “widely advertised the contract for provision of services; however, there were no applicants”.

At that stage, the Department was also aware of pending planned retirements of two other single-handed GP practices, at Lisnaskea (February, 2017) and Newtownbutler (April, 2017).

Following negotiations with Maple Group Practice in Lisnaskea, a new practice, Maple Healthcare, was formed in April, 2017 as a result of amalgamation with Rosslea Surgery, Newtownbutler Surgery and Dr. Leary, Lisnaskea.

Similar to Rosslea, the single-handed GP in Dromore and Trillick terminated his contract on June 30, 2022.

The Department followed the same process as was applied in Rosslea by advertising the contract; however, this was unsuccessful.

Neighbouring GP practices were approached with a view to an amalgamation, but none expressed an interest.

The Department then approached the Western Trust, which agreed to take on the contract on a temporary basis, while efforts continue to secure a GP contract.

The Department advised it is only when a new GP contractor cannot be achieved and a neighbouring surgery is unable to take this on, that the relevant local Trust would be approached.

Independent Councillor Eamon Keenan told members he has spoken to members of the Rosslea Save our Surgery (SOS) campaign, who along with many in the area believe: “The Department’s main priority should have been to reinstate the GP in situ and under no circumstances should patients have ever been shifted on.

“Surely at the time there must have been a business case to ensure Maple Group were able to cater for the extra patients,” he said.

Councillor Keenan proposed the Council request to see the documentation associated with this, and to ask the Department to undertake a fresh review into the capability of Maple Group to cater for the 15,000-plus patients being cared for by a reported four doctors, and possibly less.

He continued: “The Department was keen on amalgamation, but why didn’t they maintain the Rosslea surgery, using the Maple Group GPs, and what is stopping the Western Trust from looking at this now?

“Has the Western Trust any plans whatsoever to reinstate a GP in Rosslea, which is the belief of many to be the only solution, to take the pressure off Lisnaskea? What we have now is clearly not working.”

Seconding the proposal, Councillor Donal O’Cofaigh, Independent, said: “There was an intervention in Dromore and Trillick Practice, so why was there a different approach by the Department around Rosslea?

“That’s completely unacceptable in providing access to primary care in the community. Primary care under consecutive Ministers [for Health] across political parties has been underfunded and under-resourced. This is a long-term crisis.

“There has been a complete failure to invest in the necessary structures. This really opens the door to the question of why the needs of the Rosslea community was not counted, in terms of access.

“I’m glad there was an intervention in Dromore and Trillick, and I don’t think it should be temporary, as it’s the only way to resolve this health crisis.”

Sinn Fein’s Councillor Sheamus Greene commented: “We have four doctors covering a vast area of Erne East, and it just isn’t good enough.

“People cannot get access to doctors, and unless something drastic is done, it’s going to continue.

“The Minister [for Health] has almost got away scot-free over the Covid crisis. The health service is collapsing around his ears, and I don’t see anything happening to warrant all the praise he has got.”

Councillor Victor Warrington, Ulster Unionist, told members he was one of those who “was very active in Rosslea in trying to get solutions”.

He continued: “Obviously, at that time, Maple Group felt it was in a position to take on Rosslea, and we battled hard to try to get them to do satellite surgeries, unfortunately to no avail.

“We tried to get even a nursing service into Rosslea – again, to no avail. I appreciate Maple Group are now down to four GPs, with in excess of 15,000 patients.”

He added: “It’s important to remember the Western Trust is not directly responsible for GPs.

“I’m not completely across why they got involved in Dromore and Trillick, but we are certainly very glad they did.”