358 mothers had totravel to city fordelivery of babies

Three hundred and fifty eight expectant mothers from the Omagh and Fermanagh areas were sent or chose to attend Altnagelvin for the delivery of their babies over the past two years, the Health Minister Edwin Poots has advised.

By Kevin Mullan

Published 14th Jun 2014, 08:36 BST

The vast majority of those expectant mothers were from the Omagh area.

Over 2011/12 and 2012/13, 317 Omagh mothers were sent or chose to attend Altnagelvin for delivery.

During the same period 41 Fermanagh mothers were sent to Londonderry.

Mr Poots said it was not possible to determine whether the mothers were sent or chose to attend Altnagelvin Hospital.

In total there were 5,580 deliveries carried out at Altnagelvin over the two years.

The issue of mothers travelling to the city was raised by UUP MLA Ross Hussey.