This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Northern Ireland 12-hour A&E waits triple in a year
The number of patients who waited over 12 hours at A&E units in Northern Ireland over the Christmas period almost tripled compared to the same period the year before.
928 patients waited longer than the 12-hour target time at hospital emergency departments between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day. By contrast, 348 waited more than 12 hours in the 2016-17 holiday period.
The figures also show an 18-fold increase in those from Christmas 2015-16.
During that seasonal period, only 48 patients were kept waiting longer than the 12-hour ministerial target.
The figures were obtained by BBC News NI from Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care Board (HSC).
Michael Bloomfield, HSC deputy chief executive, said: “Over this holiday period there has been a particular increase in acuity and illness of people coming into hospital, that has presented significant challenges.”
He added that patients with less urgent conditions who should more appropriately see their GP or pharmacist were adding to the problems in emergency departments.
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