As of 2009, the hospital is facing closure because of a decision of then Health Minister. 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 to the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen or north to Altnagelvin Area Hospital in Londonderry, or as far as Craigavon. 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.
This cache is a traditional sized container and will be easy to find but we ask that cachers are mindful when replacing it so that it doesn't fall and is left lying on the ground. It is a good sized container for swapables.