Health Minister slammed for inaction on rural women’s healthcare

During Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s meeting on Tuesday evening (November 5) at Enniskillen Townhall, discussions touched on everything from menstrual health and vasectomies to funding for women’s healthcare services.

Erne East Councillor Noeleen Hayes of Sinn Féin highlighted the “disturbing trend” of unsatisfactory responses from the Department of Health when inquiries about women’s healthcare services in Lisnaskea were raised, especially regarding the limited access to such services in rural areas.

Noting the correspondents from the Minister, Councillor Hayes said: “When women's lack of services, especially rural women’s lack of services is questioned, it seems to be dismissed it is explained away by budget constraints, 'it can't’ be helped' sort of answers.”

The suspension of women's healthcare services from Lisnaskea Health Centre has been on the agenda within the council chamber for some time and raised with the Department of Health with “budget constraints” getting the blame for a lack of reinstatement.  She said: “When questioned by this council, he said that it couldn’t be helped citing the then budget constraints.

“But a few months later, with the same budget constraints in place, he managed to use his authority as health minister to completely reinstate vasectomy services.

“That was great that men could have access to these services again”, she remarked.  The councillor raised the issue with the tone of the letter and remarked: “It is almost as if asking these questions is an annoyance when we are actually just doing our jobs. We are elected reps for our constituents and the issues they are having and experiencing are valid to ask.”

Later she added: “Women's health issues and the lack of access to services should not be spoken about in this manner.”

“I ask the minister again instead of telling us what you can’t do and blaming others for that, stop doing that.

“It really comes across as childish, Tell us what you can do, come up with a plan within your existing budget just like other departments.”

In his letter, Minister Nesbitt said “As I had already explained, that bid for funding was regrettably not supported by the Minister of Finance, nor was it supported by other Executive Parties when they chose to vote in favour of the 2024/25 Budget. As such, I am slightly surprised that members of Fermanagh and Omagh Council are asking me to take action that I already support, but which their Party colleagues have directly prevented. Nevertheless, I can again give you an assurance that I remain fully committed and hopeful for greater investment in primary care elective services.”

Independent Councillor for Omagh, Josephine Deehan commented on the letter from the Health Minister and noted: “Women's services, as we know in this trust, gynaecological outpatients waiting time are really at an impossible level. Any contribution GPs can make to alleviating that pressure is something I feel needs to be given priority.

Erne North Sinn Féin Councillor Debbie Coyle expressed her disappointment in the letter and referenced a recent report from the NHS Confederation which detailed the “high cost to the economy of women not being able to work due to a range of conditions not being treated effectively and on long waiting lists”.  Paraphrasing the report she told the chamber that it found that “for every £1 spent on women’s health, there is return of £11 back into the economy.”

She then listed some of the reasons women can be absent from work including: “heavy or painful periods, fibroids, ovarian cancers, breast cancer, menopause and so on.”

She continued: “I find the letter very negative. I would like to ask the minister what is he doing for over 50 per cent of our population?”

Councillor Adam Gannon, SDLP Erne West, noted that in the letter, the Minister “has decided to blame his government partners”.

He continued: “This blame game of pointing fingers at each other in the same executive doesn’t work and is nonsensical.”