Non-emergency surgery and gynaecological procedures are to be suspended at a County Fermanagh hospital for the next four months.

Sperrin Lakeland Health Trust, which runs the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen, has said it regretted the move.

It said patient services would re-start in April 2001.

According to the trust, the emergency workload rose significantly this year.

And in order to re-coup the money it spent on that, it is stopping non-urgent gynaecological procedures and surgery for the remainder of this financial year.

The trust has stressed that emergency work and day procedures will continue as normal.

The chief executive of the trust, Hugh Mills, said he can guarantee the move is only temporary.

Speaking on Monday, Mr Mills: "Together at the moment we are discussing this with the Western Board and we will be reviewing our position in January.

"And if the winter pressures have not been as bad as we anticipate them to be we may well be able to open sooner, but certainly April at the latest."

GPs in the area are angry because they said they were not consulted about the closures.

Dr Kieran Deeny from Carrickmore health centre chairs a local GPs' association.

He said: "My reaction, and that of the Omagh district GPs, is one of anger.

"And I am fairly certain and sure that that is also the reaction of our Fermanagh GP counterpoints."