SDLP councillor Garbhán McPhillips has welcomed planning approval for the Lisnaskea Health & Care Centre.

Planning approval was given the go-ahead by council this week.

The new centre will be situated close to the site of the old Lisnaskea High School on the Moorlough Road.

Councillor McPhillips said: “I’m delighted that planning approval has been granted for the new Lisnaskea Health & Care Centre and hope to see work begin as soon as possible so that we can get this centre built and opened to serve people across south east Fermanagh who have been waiting for it for some years.

“By centralising services in a modern hub the new health centre has the potential to modernise the way we handle GP care in this area and change people’s lives for the better. Plans for the new centre also include enhanced services like physiotherapy and mental health services which are desperately needed for the community here.

“While this new health centre will be warmly welcomed, we will only get the best health outcomes for people in this area and across the North by addressing the long-standing issues within our health service. We need enhanced workforce planning and better support for our existing GPs and staff if we are really going to make the most of the opportunity provided by this new facility.”