With changes to emergency surgery at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) due to come into effect this Sunday, December 4, the Western Trust has released answers to some of the frequently asked questions as to what the change means and what services will – and will not – be affected.

Below they also detail what surgeries will continue at the SWAH, and what the changes mean for other services such as the emergency department at the hospital.

What is emergency general surgery?

'Emergency general surgery' relates to the treatment of patients presenting with acute abdominal pain, infections, bleeding, and trauma.

In children, the most frequently performed emergency surgeries are for appendectomy, testicular conditions.

Why has the decision been made to temporarily suspend emergency general surgery at the SWAH?

Despite our previous and ongoing efforts to recruit, we have not been successful, to date, in securing the necessary consultant workforce.

The Trust is now unable to maintain a rota to sustain and deliver a safe emergency (unplanned) general surgical service to our population from the SWAH.

The Trust Board met and approved on November 17 a recommendation for an unplanned temporary suspension of emergency general surgery at the SWAH.

The current rota for emergency general surgery will be maintained up until December 4. Planned elective surgery at the hospital will continue.

What services are NOT affected?

• The SWAH's status as an Acute Hospital will not change.

• Obstetrics and gynaecology service are not affected.

• Acute medical/care of elderly specialties/services are not affected.

• Outpatient services – including general surgery – outpatients are not affected.

• Non-complex elective surgery is not affected.

• Critical care/ICU are not affected.

• The emergency department will continue to receive and treat more than 90 per cent of current attendances.

• Paediatrics and Cardiology services will continue.

What services ARE affected?

• Emergency General Surgery will be provided in Altnagelvin Hospital.

• Complex elective surgery requiring an overnight stay will be consolidated on the Altnagelvin site – as an example, bowel cancer surgery.

Will planned and emergency caesarean sections still take place in the SWAH?

YES, maternity services have not been affected. Pregnant mothers WILL still have their planned or emergency C-section in the SWAH.

What will happen to people who need emergency surgery?

Patients who attend the SWAH emergency department who require admission for emergency surgical treatment will be transferred to the most appropriate hospital to meet their surgical needs. This will be based on the assessment of their presenting complaint.

What will happen to surgical patients, for example, who have a road traffic accident or need an ambulance?

999 should be called in the usual way. The SWAH emergency department will continue as part of the Regional Trauma Network.

Therefore, trauma patients will still be treated at the SWAH emergency department.

There are some exceptions – such as penetrating trauma – which may be bypassed.

What surgery will continue at the SWAH?

Planned and emergency c-sections and gynae surgery will continue on the SWAH site. Elective (planned) surgery will continue from the SWAH, Altnagelvin and Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex.

It is hoped through the longer-term plans that we will be able to enhance our surgical capacity across the Trust through the creation of a regional overnight stay centre, in line with the regional review of general surgery.

What does this mean for the SWAH emergency department?

The SWAH’s emergency department (ED) will continue to operate 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The SWAH will also remain as a receiving trauma ED, as part of the regional trauma network.

The SWAH's ED remains absolutely essential in meeting the unscheduled care needs of our local population.

What does this mean for the rest of the hospital?

The SWAH is and will remain an acute hospital. Its acute status is NOT in question due to the temporary suspension of emergency general surgery.

The SWAH is a very busy state-of-the-art hospital and is an essential part of the Western Trust acute hospital network.

It has a wide range of acute specialist services including paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology which are needed to serve our population of approximately 300,000 people across the Western Trust area.

We want to develop and enhance our Trust-wide surgical service to offer the same safety, quality and care for all patients attending at the SWAH, Altnagelvin and Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex.