Tyrone County Hospital
Encyclopedia
Tyrone County Hospital is the main hospital
in Omagh
, County Tyrone
, Northern Ireland
. The hospital has occupied the same site in the town since 1899.
. The Maternity
, Paediatric
and Intensive Care units have all been closed and children are not allowed to be taken into Accident & Emergency
. Because of this, patients face travelling distances of approximately 43 km (26.7 mi) south to the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen
(which has a smaller population than Omagh), 57 km (35.4 mi) north to Altnagelvin Area Hospital
in Derry
, or as far as Craigavon
, which is over 80 km (49.7 mi) away. These journeys pose a risk to people requiring urgent treatment. Michael McGimpsey
has so far defended the decision.
As part of the campaign against the proposals to close the hospital, local GP
Kieran Deeny
was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
on the single issue of retaining the hospital in the 2003 elections
. On 15 October 2005, there was a mass protest outside the hospital, which made television news, both local and national newspapers and radio. On 28 November 2005 there was a large protest in the town centre, with over 30,000 in attendance. All of the town's schools and many shops closed for the event, allowing students and staff to attend. Meetings involving the Sperrin Healthcare Trust are constantly interrupted by campaigners.
Health Minister Michael McGimpsey
threatened to pull the plug on building a new Hospital in Omagh (albeit with much reduced facilities) unless Omagh District Council support him, and as such Tyrone County Hospital is facing an uncertain future.
Concerns have also been raised as to whether the new Omagh Local Hospital will even be built. Due to budget cuts, the health minister says he hasn't, in fact, the money to build the new hospital, but he says it is one of his priorities.
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
in Omagh
Omagh
Omagh is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The town, which is the largest in the county, had a population of 19,910 at the 2001 Census. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and...
, County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The hospital has occupied the same site in the town since 1899.
Proposed closure
, the hospital is facing closure because of a decision of then Health Minister Bairbre de BrúnBairbre de Brún
Bairbre de Brún is an Irish politician and Member of the European Parliament, representing Northern Ireland.- Political work :...
. The Maternity
Maternity
Maternity or motherhood is the social and legal acknowledgment of the parental relationship between a mother and her child.It is specially related with the protection of the baby and the mother within and after the childbirth.-See also:...
, Paediatric
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
and Intensive Care units have all been closed and children are not allowed to be taken into Accident & Emergency
Emergency department
An emergency department , also known as accident & emergency , emergency room , emergency ward , or casualty department is a medical treatment facility specialising in acute care of patients who present without prior appointment, either by their own means or by ambulance...
. Because of this, patients face travelling distances of approximately 43 km (26.7 mi) south to the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
(which has a smaller population than Omagh), 57 km (35.4 mi) north to Altnagelvin Area Hospital
Altnagelvin Area Hospital
Altnagelvin Area Hospital is the main hospital for the North West of Northern Ireland. It provides services to the city of Derry as well as County Londonderry, but also some specialist and acute services for parts of neighbouring County Donegal, County Tyrone, County Antrim and County Fermanagh...
in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, or as far as Craigavon
Craigavon
Craigavon is a settlement in north County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It was a planned settlement that was begun in 1965 and named after Northern Ireland's first Prime Minister — James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon. It was intended to be a linear city incorporating Lurgan and Portadown, but this plan...
, which is over 80 km (49.7 mi) away. These journeys pose a risk to people requiring urgent treatment. Michael McGimpsey
Michael McGimpsey
Michael McGimpsey MLA is an Ulster Unionist Party Member of the Legislative Assembly for Belfast South who has twice served in the Northern Ireland Executive...
has so far defended the decision.
As part of the campaign against the proposals to close the hospital, local GP
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
Kieran Deeny
Kieran Deeny
Kieran Deeny is a medical doctor turned politician from Northern Ireland. Deeny was a Designated Other Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for West Tyrone from 2003–11, having run on a single issue ticket of retaining the Tyrone County Hospital in Omagh.Born in Downpatrick, Deeny was educated...
was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
on the single issue of retaining the hospital in the 2003 elections
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2003
The second elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly, which at the time of the elections had been suspended for just over a year, were held on Wednesday 26 November 2003. Six members were elected by Single Transferable Vote from each of Northern Ireland's eighteen Westminster Parliamentary...
. On 15 October 2005, there was a mass protest outside the hospital, which made television news, both local and national newspapers and radio. On 28 November 2005 there was a large protest in the town centre, with over 30,000 in attendance. All of the town's schools and many shops closed for the event, allowing students and staff to attend. Meetings involving the Sperrin Healthcare Trust are constantly interrupted by campaigners.
Health Minister Michael McGimpsey
Michael McGimpsey
Michael McGimpsey MLA is an Ulster Unionist Party Member of the Legislative Assembly for Belfast South who has twice served in the Northern Ireland Executive...
threatened to pull the plug on building a new Hospital in Omagh (albeit with much reduced facilities) unless Omagh District Council support him, and as such Tyrone County Hospital is facing an uncertain future.
Concerns have also been raised as to whether the new Omagh Local Hospital will even be built. Due to budget cuts, the health minister says he hasn't, in fact, the money to build the new hospital, but he says it is one of his priorities.