Over 50 people were in attendance at Fermanagh House on Thursday night as the campaign to fight the possible withdrawal of emergency surgery at the South West Acute Hospital got underway.

Organised and chaired by Donal O'Cofaigh, Fermanagh and Omagh District Councillor for Enniskillen the meeting heard from SDLP Councillor Paul Blake and health campaigner, Helen Hamill.

The meeting began with a video showing a recent FODC Health and Social Care Services sub-committee meeting where at the end of the recording, Western Trust Chief Executive, Neil Guckian, read out the statement around the fragility of emergency surgery at SWAH.

In the meeting he also said he wanted to be upfront with the public and he asked for everyone to work constructively with them [Western Trust]. However, the meeting was then moved into confidential matters for further discussion away from the public eye.

Councillor O'Cofaigh said this meeting was the first step in action to fight against what he said was no surprise in terms of the potential withdrawal of emergency surgery.

He claimed that this was all part of a plan to close rural acute hospitals. 

Mrs. Hamill spoke of the knock on effect of having no emergency surgery and without it there would be a "domino effect" for other departments in SWAH.

Local solicitor Reggie Ferguson called for more honesty from the Western Trust and Health Department.

"Why is it always SWAH they can't get doctors to? Is Fermanagh such a horrible place?" he questioned. 

"There needs to be a bit of honesty," he said calling for meetings with the Trust and Health Minister Robin Swann.

All in attendance were in agreement that action needed to be taken and needed to be done in a succint and focussed fashion.

They also voiced their anger at the lack of political representation at the meeting.

Aside from Councillors O'Cofaigh and Blake, Councillor Adam Gann (SDLP) and Councillor Eamon Keenan (Independent) were the only two other political representatives present that evening.