A Southern Trust spokesperson has said that their emergency departments are among the best performing in Northern Ireland despite less than 80 per cent of patients being seen within 4 hours in Daisy Hill Hospital last month. Figures released by the Department of Health on Thursday showed that of the 4,020 people who attended the Emergency Care Department in Daisy Hill in March, 3,183 – which amounted to 79.2 per cent – were seen within 4 hours, whilst 837 (20.8 per cent) had to wait between four and 12 hours. No patient had to wait over 12 hours. The ministerial target is for 95 per cent of patients to be seen within 4 hours. Comparatively in Craigavon Area Hospital 74.7 per cent of patients (5251) were seen within 4 hours 1,775 had to wait for 4-12 hours. One patient had to wait for more than 12 hours. In terms of patients being seen within a four hour timeframe Daisy Hill Hospital was well above the Northern Irish Average of 69.7 per cent and the lowest scoring hospitals – the Royal Victoria Hospital at 56.7 per cent and the Antrim Area Hospital at 57.2 per cent. The Royal’s ENT and RAES Emergency Department for Ear, Nose and Throat and Regional, Acute Eye Services – Registered 100 per cent of patients being seen between four hours and the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children emergency department saw 89.4 per cent of patients within the same timeframe. March however signalled an improvement for Daisy Hill after February’s figures of 79.9 per cent being seen within four though it was marginally lower that the figure of 80.2 per cent for March 2014. A Trust spokesperson said, “Recent waiting list statistics have again confirmed Southern Trust Emergency Departments are being among the busiest as best performing (for their size) in Northern Ireland. More than 11,000 people attended our emergency departments in Craigavon and Daisy Hill Hospitals in March – which almost 800 more people than attended in the same month last year. Despite the extra demands placed on our emergency departments the vast majority (Approx 76 per cent of people attending Trust Emergency Departments last month were treated within four hours and only one person waited longer (in Criagavon) than 12 hours. Our staff worked tirelessly to ensure that the Emergency Department is operating in the most effective way possible but we need the public’s help to achieve this.” The spokesperson added that people should only come to the Emergency Department if they have ‘serious urgent conditions’ as there are ‘significant numbers of people attending our emergency departments with minor ailments and they are diverting doctors and nurses from the job of dealing with people who are real emergencies.’ and advised people to visit www.nidirect.gov.uk/choosewell
Newry Reporter
22nd April 2015
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