Stormont urged to better fund health needs in rural Tyrone

MORE than 200 health professionals gathered this week to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the South West GP Federation, which provides support to 20 GP practices across West Tyrone and Fermanagh.

General practitioners, pharmacists, and nurses from practices across Omagh, Gortin and Plumbridge, Carrickmore and other rural areas were joined at the event by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt.

The Federation recruits and deploys staff such as pharmacists, advanced nurse practitioners and general practice nurses, while also delivering elective care services across the region.

Dr Rachel Wright, chair of the Federation, said the organisation had now developed a three-year strategy built around four pillars – improving communication, preparing for multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs), boosting recruitment and strengthening service delivery.

“Our rural location brings particular challenges, from staff recruitment to roads infrastructure, but we also have many strengths,” she said.

“We are united in striving for the same high standards of patient care, we have strong links with local hospitals, and a proven track record of delivering services.

“The introduction of multi-disciplinary teams will be one of the biggest opportunities for the future.”

Dr Wright also highlighted concerns about the ageing GP workforce, noting that the Federation has the oldest GP age profile in Northern Ireland, with four out of 20 practices already having returned their contracts to the Department of Health.

From a frontline perspective, Dr Gilles Mangard, one of just two GPs at the Sperrin Family Practice in Plumbridge, said the Federation’s work was crucial in helping them serve their 3,500 patients.

However, he warned that more support was needed.

“Compared to other GP Federations, we are the ‘poor child’,” he described.

“We would like to see more funding from Stormont to cover the needs of our rural area.

“The introduction of MDTs would be hugely beneficial – as two doctors, we are well trained, but it can be very difficult to meet the needs of all our patients.”