The latest phase in the development of a new health and care centre in Lisnaskea is expected to be completed in November.

Sinn Féin MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Áine Murphy, submitted a question to Health Minister Robin Swann asking for an update on the health and care centre project which will be located at the old Lisnaskea High School site.

In his response, Minister Swann said the Western Health and Social Care Trust advised that the design stage for the new Lisnaskea Health and Care Centre is scheduled to complete in November.

“The new health and care centre will provide a central hub in Lisnaskea and will enable linkages with rural practices,” Mr. Swann said in his response to Miss Murphy.

“This will support a network of 16 GPs and will provide services to a combined practice list of approximately 25,000 people.

“The new 3,500sq metre facility will bring services together under one roof, including GP, Trust Community and Day Care services.

“This will provide inproved accessibility and increased provision of services in Lisnaskea such as Podiatry, Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Mental Health services and Older People services.”

Miss Murphy welcomed the further progress and update on project. She said: “I welcome the response from the Minister that the design phase will be completed in two months’ time. The people of Lisnaskea and surrounding areas have waited a long time for this project and are adamant that no further delays hinder its progress.

“Everyone deserves access to high-quality medical care and the completion of the Lisnaskea Health Centre will go a long way to securing this for years to come.

“I further call on the DUP to commit to re-establishing an [Northern Ireland] Executive so that we can start to fix the problems that exist in our health care system and invest the additional £1bn Finance Minister Conor Murphy has allocated to Health.”

A spokesperson for the Western Health and Social Care Trust confirmed: “A Proposal of Planning Notice (PAN) will shortly be submitted to Fermanagh and Omagh District Council for Lisnaskea Health and Care Centre as part of the design process.

“As Lisnaskea is designated as a major development, the PAN process has a requirement for a public engagement event, which is provisionally scheduled for the end of October.

“The event will be led and facilitated by the design team and will take the form of a call-in/drop-in type review, with afternoon and evening sessions available.

“Public notices will be placed [in local media] detailing the date and time of the public engagement event, once confirmed. The event will help identify and address potential planning objection areas prior to the submission of the formal planning application.

“Further public consultant events will be organised as part of the wider project development, to support the design and implementation process.”