The chairman of the Save Our Acute Services (SOAS) said it was time to "forget about the Border between Northern Ireland and the Republic when it comes to health".

Enniskillen-based solicitor Reggie Ferguson welcomed the local politicians who attended the public meeting to discuss the removal of emergency surgery services from the hospital but said there was "huge frustration that 12 months on nothing has changed".

Speaking following the meeting, which was attended by around 150 people, Mr. Ferguson told The Impartial Reporter that "there was an energy in the room because people are very concerned".

He said SWAH is in "an ideal location" but added: "I would be in favour of a cross-Border dimension".

“Since the Good Friday Agreement Stormont has been operating only 50 per cent of the time. We always seem to be in limbo that nothing can happen until Stormont is back sitting. How long are we going to lead our lives like that?

“Even when Stormont is sitting, I believe that this part of the West is discriminated against as far resources are concerned and this is very apparent in health. People in the Belfast City Trust get on average £1,200 more per head than we do in the Western Trust and that is pure discrimination. If you live in Belfast, you have three acute hospitals within two miles.

“There must be different way of looking at this and could the governments north and south look at Border areas and imagine there was no Border there."

He believes resources "could be allocated on a regional basis" in counties such as Fermanagh, Leitrim, Tyrone, Monaghan and Cavan.

“There would be better services delivered to the people; they would not be constrained by a Border and wasteful decisions that are often can be taken as a consequence.

“We think that the SWAH is being deliberately run down to benefit Altnagelvin and it is shocking," said Mr. Ferguson.