NEW TRAUMA CENTRE COULD BE OPEN WITHIN MONTHS
New Trauma Centre could be open within months
BY NIGEL McDONAGH
Delight as future of invaluable service is secured
A PERMANENT Centre for the treatment of trauma sufferers in Omagh could be available by the end of this year following the establishment of a Board of Trustees who have been tasked with leading its development.
The centre will also provide support and services to those affected by violence and other traumatic events from across the North and even further afield.
It will utilise the skills and expertise of the Trauma Team who achieved third place at the final of the Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Quality Awards on Tuesday.
Since the Omagh bombing in 1998 the Trauma Team has treated over 600 people of all ages at the Bridge Centre but, despite its invaluable service, its future remained shrouded in doubt as numbers seeking support reduced.
However, the new centre will ensure that the team's skills in trauma services will remain within the community and will also be available to other communities who have suffered from similar horrific experiences.
Such is the demand for these skills it has even been revealed that the Team have been providing its specialist knowledge and assistance to the United States following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington last month.
Extensive research conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoppers, the Omagh Memorial Committee and the Omagh Fund illustrated an overwhelming desire to retain the expertise that had been developed by the Trauma Team.
A Board of Trustees, Chaired by Professor Fabian Monds, was established with the view of taking forward the initiative to develop a new Trauma Centre.
According to Prof. Monds, requests for funding to support the development of the centre and its work are being made and the government have been approached for assistance.
"This is a very significant development which I feel privileged to be associated. The work undertaken in Omagh to support those affected by the bombing must be taken forward to enable others who have suffered terrible and traumatic experiences to be helped," he said.
"Alongside economic and political progress and development we need to take care of those who have suffered in our community, many of whom continue to suffer, and to give hope to broken hearts," he added.
The Sperrin Lakeland Trust's Director of Community Care, David Bolton, who has been involved in co-ordinating the response of community services in the wake of the bombing, welcomed the establishment of the charitable trust to develop the new centre.
"The possibility of providing services and support to those affected by violence and other traumatic events drawing upon the experiences of dealing with the trauma of the Omagh bombing, is a significant and important development, not just for Omagh, but for all those who will benefit from the work of the new centre," he said.
"The circumstances and opportunity for this development have arisen out of loss and tragedy, yet it provides an opportunity for the Omagh community to reach out to others in need, " added Mr Bolton.
At Sperrin Lakeland Trust's fifth annual public meeting recently, Chief Executive Hugh Mills said that the Trust had consulted on the future arrangements for the Trauma Team last Spring which, he added, was helpful for the Trust in recognising the value of the services provided.
Referring to the recent terrorist atrocities in America, Mr Mills said the work undertaken by the staff in the Bridge Centre who supported the victims of the Omagh bombing is very poignant at this time.
"Daily we are being reminded of the trauma experienced by families around the world, whose relatives were victims of the terrorist attacks in America. Whilst our experience in Omagh was on a smaller scale, it was no less horrific for the individual families involved," said Mr Mills.
He acknowledged that the support provided for over 650 people who availed of the team's service was of high quality and added that there was a wide-spread recognition that further demand could be mainstreamed into the Trust's services.
Mr Mills welcomed the research work undertaken by Price WaterhouseCoopers, Memorial Committee and the Omagh Fund and concluded by paying tribute to David Bolton Director of Community Care.
"His wise counsel and guidance has been in much demand and on behalf of the Trust we all appreciate and acknowledge the tremendous commitment and sacrifice of time he has provided in supporting victims of our troubles.
"And I am sure David would also wish me to mention Michael Duffy, the team leader and Dr Kate Gillespie, Consultant Psychiatrist," said Mr Mills.
BY NIGEL McDONAGH
Delight as future of invaluable service is secured
A PERMANENT Centre for the treatment of trauma sufferers in Omagh could be available by the end of this year following the establishment of a Board of Trustees who have been tasked with leading its development.
The centre will also provide support and services to those affected by violence and other traumatic events from across the North and even further afield.
It will utilise the skills and expertise of the Trauma Team who achieved third place at the final of the Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Quality Awards on Tuesday.
Since the Omagh bombing in 1998 the Trauma Team has treated over 600 people of all ages at the Bridge Centre but, despite its invaluable service, its future remained shrouded in doubt as numbers seeking support reduced.
However, the new centre will ensure that the team's skills in trauma services will remain within the community and will also be available to other communities who have suffered from similar horrific experiences.
Such is the demand for these skills it has even been revealed that the Team have been providing its specialist knowledge and assistance to the United States following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington last month.
Extensive research conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoppers, the Omagh Memorial Committee and the Omagh Fund illustrated an overwhelming desire to retain the expertise that had been developed by the Trauma Team.
A Board of Trustees, Chaired by Professor Fabian Monds, was established with the view of taking forward the initiative to develop a new Trauma Centre.
According to Prof. Monds, requests for funding to support the development of the centre and its work are being made and the government have been approached for assistance.
"This is a very significant development which I feel privileged to be associated. The work undertaken in Omagh to support those affected by the bombing must be taken forward to enable others who have suffered terrible and traumatic experiences to be helped," he said.
"Alongside economic and political progress and development we need to take care of those who have suffered in our community, many of whom continue to suffer, and to give hope to broken hearts," he added.
The Sperrin Lakeland Trust's Director of Community Care, David Bolton, who has been involved in co-ordinating the response of community services in the wake of the bombing, welcomed the establishment of the charitable trust to develop the new centre.
"The possibility of providing services and support to those affected by violence and other traumatic events drawing upon the experiences of dealing with the trauma of the Omagh bombing, is a significant and important development, not just for Omagh, but for all those who will benefit from the work of the new centre," he said.
"The circumstances and opportunity for this development have arisen out of loss and tragedy, yet it provides an opportunity for the Omagh community to reach out to others in need, " added Mr Bolton.
At Sperrin Lakeland Trust's fifth annual public meeting recently, Chief Executive Hugh Mills said that the Trust had consulted on the future arrangements for the Trauma Team last Spring which, he added, was helpful for the Trust in recognising the value of the services provided.
Referring to the recent terrorist atrocities in America, Mr Mills said the work undertaken by the staff in the Bridge Centre who supported the victims of the Omagh bombing is very poignant at this time.
"Daily we are being reminded of the trauma experienced by families around the world, whose relatives were victims of the terrorist attacks in America. Whilst our experience in Omagh was on a smaller scale, it was no less horrific for the individual families involved," said Mr Mills.
He acknowledged that the support provided for over 650 people who availed of the team's service was of high quality and added that there was a wide-spread recognition that further demand could be mainstreamed into the Trust's services.
Mr Mills welcomed the research work undertaken by Price WaterhouseCoopers, Memorial Committee and the Omagh Fund and concluded by paying tribute to David Bolton Director of Community Care.
"His wise counsel and guidance has been in much demand and on behalf of the Trust we all appreciate and acknowledge the tremendous commitment and sacrifice of time he has provided in supporting victims of our troubles.
"And I am sure David would also wish me to mention Michael Duffy, the team leader and Dr Kate Gillespie, Consultant Psychiatrist," said Mr Mills.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0851
Published Date: 11-Oct-01
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