Staff at the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen have expressed widespread dissatisfaction with the safety and effectiveness of temporary emergency general surgery arrangements, according to an inspection report analysed by campaign group Save Our Acute Services (SOAS).

In an online survey conducted as part of a Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) inspection, all 69 responding staff members said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the safety of care, while 91 per cent said it was not effective. The figures cover 29 face-to-face interviews and 40 online responses.

SOAS representative Jimmy Hamill said staff fear speaking out. Spokesperson Donal O’Cofaigh argued that the regulator’s conclusions did not adequately reflect the extent of the concerns raised by frontline workers and ambulance crews.

The group highlighted persistent problems including ambulance shortages, average patient transfer times of almost seven hours, and pressure on staff. Some patients, it said, wait significantly longer for transfer to other facilities.

SOAS also claimed that key recommendations from a previous RQIA review in January 2025 have not been implemented. These included measures to reduce transfers from the emergency department and boost ambulance capacity.

Fr. Brian D’Arcy, speaking in support of the campaign, said the situation was unfair to residents of Fermanagh and Derry. He stressed that the community was not asking for overly specialised services but simply the same right to life as people elsewhere.

Mr. O’Cofaigh called for an end to temporary fixes and urged the Health Minister to fund a sustainable emergency surgical service at SWAH. He also noted that the Western Trust has advertised a new trust-wide role based at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry, but said SWAH is not being prioritised for similar posts.