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New £32m Lisnaskea health hub gets final sign off

Department of Health NI A computer-generated image of the new Lisnaskea Health Centre. It shows a brown and white building surrounded by trees and bushes.Department of Health NI
Construction on the new Lisnaskea Health Centres could start within weeks

Construction on a new £32m health and social care centre in County Fermanagh is set to start within weeks after being approved by the health minister.

The hub in Lisnaskea, which is set to open in 2026, will help support 16 GPs and provide services to 30,000 people in the area.

It comes weeks after posters were placed outside of the current Lisnaskea Health Centre referring to difficulties in getting an appointment.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said the "significant investment" would provide a central hub in the town.

“I appreciate that primary care services are under particular strain in the Lisnaskea and East Fermanagh area and recognise that people have been waiting for some time on this news," he said.

"However, it was imperative that the necessary checks and balances were completed before proceeding."

He said the Western Health Trust could now move forward with awarding a construction contract, allowing work to begin on site within weeks.

PA Media Mike Nesbitt - a man with grey hair and square-frame glasses is wearing a dark suit jacket, a white collared shirt and a pink tie. His background is blurred and he is mid-speech.PA Media
Mike Nesbitt said the hub would provide a range of services

The minister condemned the "completely unacceptable behaviour" staff at the Lisnaskea centre had faced last month.

"There is no place for such behaviour, and I reiterated my full support for the team when speaking to them," he added.

The Royal College of GPs and the British Medical Association (BMA) also condemned the action, adding that it created a "hostile environment" for patients and staff.

Department of Health NI A computer generated image showing an aerial shot of plans for the new Lisnaskea Health Centre. It shows a car park to the left of a large brown and white building. It is also surrounded by forestry.Department of Health NI
Planning permission has already been granted for the centre

Eimear McCauley, from the Western Trust, said the latest move was "another step in providing an appropriate setting for the delivery of services" in south-east Fermanagh".

"This milestone has been achieved through the collaborative working of GP representatives, trust staff and Department of Health personnel with a focus on meeting the needs of patients and clients of Lisnaskea and the wider area," she added.

Ms McCauley said planning permission had already been approved for the centre at the former site of Lisnaskea High School.

'Huge step'

Baron Elliott, of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), said the confirmation was "hugely welcome news, not only for the 14,000 patients in south-east Fermanagh", but the staff working in the town's current health centre.

"Delivering a new health centre has been a long-standing priority for the UUP locally and it’s one that I’m very pleased has now reached this point," he continued.

Local assembly member Áine Murphy said the project will benefit "families and patients across South Fermanagh".

“Since becoming an MLA, making progress on this health centre has been a top priority," the Sinn Féin representative said.

"The people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone deserve access to healthcare facilities that are fit for purpose, and this is a huge step in the right direction for healthcare provision locally."

Democratic Unionist Party MLA Deborah Erskine said the announcement is "good news" for staff and patients.

"This is the first piece of the jigsaw puzzle in the redevelopment of the former Lisnaskea High School site," she added.