A Co Fermanagh health centre that was the target of a harassment campaign last month has been given the go-ahead for a long-awaited upgrade.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt’s predecessor Robin Swann had said in May that work on the £32m project would begin in the summer, with Mr Nesbitt confirming on Monday that work would begin “within weeks”.
Once open, the new health and care hub will support a network of 16 GPs, providing services to around 30,000 people in the east Fermanagh area.
Last month, the surgery found itself at the centre of a harassment campaign after posters criticising care at the facility were erected outside.
They denounced the health centre as “not fit for purpose” and hit out at perceived difficulties in securing an appointment by phone.
Pictures of the display were later posted on Facebook by the ‘Eamon Keenan Independent 4 Real Change’ page, along with a lengthy statement hitting out at “neo-liberalism” and “creeping privatisation” of healthcare in NI.
The action drew criticism from both the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGPNI) and the British Medical Association’s Northern Ireland General Practitioners Committee (NIGPC), who said it had created a “hostile atmosphere” for staff.
Last month, the health centre was targeted by protestors who criticised aspects of care at the facility
Mr Nesbitt said that “necessary checks and balances” were behind a delay to beginning work on the new facility.
“There are significant pressures across our health and social care system, and while our primary care teams are at the frontline in facing this challenge, I was incredibly disappointed to learn of the completely unacceptable behaviour that the Lisnaskea practice team have recently experienced,” he said.
“There is no place for such behaviour, and I reiterated my full support for the team when speaking to them today.
“As Health Minister I remain committed to investing in primary care infrastructure to support the transformation of health and social care and help improve services for the population of Northern Ireland.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt
“I appreciate that primary care services are under particular strain in the Lisnaskea and East Fermanagh area and recognise that people have been waiting for some time on this news.
“However, it was imperative that the necessary checks and balances were completed before proceeding.
“This significant investment will provide a central hub in Lisnaskea, enabling patients and service users to benefit from improved accessibility and increased multi-disciplinary provision in areas such as; Podiatry, Speech & Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Mental Health Services and Older People services.”
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Eimear McCauley, Western Trust Director of Finance, Contracts and Capital Development added: “We welcome this project moving to construction as another step in providing an appropriate setting for the delivery of services in South East Fermanagh, both from the opening of the new facility and for many years ahead.
“This milestone has been achieved through the collaborative working of GP representatives, Trust staff and DoH personnel with a focus on meeting the needs of patients and clients of Lisnaskea and the wider area.”
The Trust will now move to award the construction contract within the next few weeks.
Planning permission on the build has already been approved, with the Department hopeful the facility will be open by 2026.
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