Debate contribution: South West Acute Hospital: Elective Overnight Stay Centre
Debate contribution by Mr Robbie Butler on .
- MLA
- Mr Robbie Butler
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 21 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- South West Acute Hospital: Elective Overnight Stay Centre
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5742292
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for her question. The continued expansion of elective overnight stay capacity at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) is a priority for my Department. The Western Health and Social Care Trust recently recruited a new gynaecology consultant, who will deliver two additional inpatient sessions and one additional day case session per week at the SWAH site. That consultant will also support a new fertility service at the Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex. As well as general surgery, paediatric dental, special needs dental, breast, gynaecology and adult ENT surgery, the trust recently introduced paediatric tonsillectomy services to the SWAH site. The trust has also been commissioned to deliver additional diagnostic capacity in CT endoscopy. Further expansion of general surgery and gynaecology services at the SWAH is planned. The proposed investment will create at least 12 additional elective general surgery theatre sessions per month over 50 weeks, with a further increase in the number of planned gynaecology theatre sessions. My officials are working through the business cases with the Western Trust, and, subject to the successful recruitment of medical and nursing staff, that increased operating capacity should come online early next year. While that core capacity is being developed, my officials will continue to work with the trust to maximise use of the available theatres. The SWAH is now delivering more elective activity than it ever has done before, with almost 300 core elective theatre sessions and over 70,000 theatre minutes delivered in the first five months of 2026-27, which is approximately 50% higher than it was in the same period in 2024-25. In real terms, that meant 37% more patients in total from April 2026 to August 2026. Almost 700 patients have undergone procedures in the SWAH, with a further 150 NHS patients receiving treatment in the SWAH through the orthopaedic insourcing arrangements. The SWAH remains an important part of the acute hospital network. Members should be assured of my steadfast commitment in that regard.
329 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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