Omagh Acute Care Axed

Accident and emergency services at a regional hospital have today been axed.

Tyrone County Hospital patients requiring acute in-patient care, such as those who have suffered a heart attack, area will now have to travel to either Enniskillen or Londonderry.

However, the move - which triggered strong opposition and a candle-lit vigil outside the Omagh hospital on Sunday evening - was today said to be in the best interests of local health provision.

The Western Health Trust Deputy Chief Executive, Joe Lusby said on BBC Radio Ulster this morning: "The delivery of health and social care has changed dramatically for the benefit of patients over the last 10 to 15 years and the model of care that we are now proposing to provide will be much better than could be provided up to now."

The initiative follows the closing down of the facility's busy accident and emergency department in 2007.

The Sinn Féin Chairperson of Omagh District Council, Cllr Marty McColgan said there was great sadness at the vigil held in Omagh last night.

"The sense of sadness at this event was matched by a sense of anger about the Western Trust's handling of the situation.

"Previous commitments given that a level of acute service provision would be maintained at Tyrone County until the new A&E hospital at Enniskillen become operational have fallen by the wayside and the general feeling is that the Trust were not pro-active in ensuring that this commitment was fulfilled," he said.

"Given the long distances that acutely ill-patients in the catchments area of Tyrone County are be now expected to travel it is incumbent upon the Trust to ensure that additional emergency ambulance cover is provided in this area."

(BMcC/JM)