Ulster Unionist Health Spokesperson, Jo-Anne Dobson MLA, has raised concerns about the lengthening times patients in emergency departments are being forced to wait. 

Jo-Anne Dobson said:

“It is often said that how our A&Es are performing is a barometer for the wider state of the health service. Whilst the target is to treat or admit 95% of attendees within 4 hours, in June only 70.6% were seen within this time. Worryingly this represented a further deterioration - down from 73.7% - on the year before.

“In addition, whilst most attendances were discharged home within 6 hours 22 minutes of their arrival at the main emergency departments across Northern Ireland, this was 16 minutes longer than the same period last year.

“Worryingly the number of people being forced to wait over 12 hours for treatment continues to grow month-on-month and this demonstrates that despite the several short-term in year budget increases the crisis facing our hospitals is only continuing to deepen. Patients attend our emergency departments for a whole series of reasons, and waiting 12 hours very often only intensifies their pain, discomfort and anxiety.

“The current delays in receiving treatment, which would have been unimaginable and frightening only a few years ago, are directly contributing to conditions worsening and I am repeatedly told by medical practioners that hospitals are not always a safe place for patients if they do not absolutely need to be there.

“It is essential that on the day the Minister received a copy of the Bengoa Report, but gave no indication of what was in it, that she listens listen to local clinicians and take the steps they are suggesting, such as overhauling the referral process, to try once and for all to get to grips with the current situation.”