NI hospitals under 'extreme' pressure with hundreds waiting at A&E after Storm Isha

Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry.

Hospitals across Northern Ireland are under “extreme” pressure following Storm Isha, with hundreds awaiting treatment at accident and emergency departments.

Several health Trusts have issued appeals to the public to consider alternative treatment pathways due to the pressure on Emergency Departments.

The Western Trust, in a statement published on social media, said there were over 100 attendances at Altnagelvin Emergency Department since midnight with dozens still waiting on admission to hospital at A&E on Monday afternoon.

A spokesperson for the Trust said: “Our Emergency Departments remain under pressure and continue to treat high numbers of people. If you need medical help but it is not an emergency, please consider your Community Pharmacy, your own GP, Urgent Care and Treatment Centre or Phone First on 0300 020 6000.”

Statistics published on social media site X (formerly Twitter) showed that there were 105 atttendances since midnight at Altnagelvin A&E, with 128 people in total waiting in the Emergency Department and 54 waiting on a bed to open up for admittance to a ward.

At the South West Acute Hospital’s Emergency Department, there have been 61 attendances since midnight, 31 patients awaiting admission, and 71 people waiting on Monday afternoon.

The Northern Trust also said its hospitals were under pressure.

A Northern Trust spokesperson said: “Our Emergency Departments at Antrim and Causeway are extremely busy today.

“Staff are working hard to triage patients & prioritise those who need urgent care.”

The spokesperson added: “If you are attending ED, please be aware you may face a long wait if your condition is not life-threatening.”

And the Southern Trust, in a statement posted on social media, said: “Our Emergency Departments in Craigavon Area Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital are very busy, please remember to Phone First up to 9pm before attending 0300 123 3 111, with an injury or illness which requires urgent treatment but is not immediately life threatening.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.