An Enniskillen Councillor has warned the Western Health Board that the people of Fermanagh cannot take much more of the cuts to services in the county.

Mr. Sammy Foster (right) made the statement after it was revealed that the Fermanagh-Omagh Unit of Management had decided to transfer its Central Sterile Supply Department from the Erne Hospital to Omagh.

Mr. Hugh McCaughey, the Hospital and Community Services Manager in Fermanagh, said this week that moving the department to Omagh was the consequence of an internal Value For Money Audit.

He said the money and staff from the sterile supply department would be re-deployed.

Six people are employed in the unit which sterilises the equipment used in theatre which is needed in future operations.

The unit is now to be closed in Enniskillen and its administration moved to Omagh, with the Erne Hospital purchasing the service from outside suppliers.

Mr. McCaughey said: “In the past, we were making up sterilisation packs to be used in theatre, but these packs can be bought considerably cheaper and stored in the hospital ready for use.”

 

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