A&E scandal: 2,084 patients wait up to 12 hrs

Worryingly, some 10 patients waited for more than 12 hours in the past two months atCraigavon, breaking NHS care rules, which state that patients should be treated or admitted within four hours.

The figure was the third worst for Northern Ireland’s A&E departments.

The latest figures published by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS), show that the hospital waiting times continue to spiral.

The overall performance of A&E departments has also worsened since the last quarter with 75% of patients treated or admitted within four hours - breaching the government’s 95% target.

The figures vary widely between hospitals in Northern Ireland.

At the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) in Belfast, figures improved significantly, with only five people recorded as waiting more than 12 hours in October and November of this year. However, the numbers show that Antrim Area Hospital’s waiting times have deteriorated to 258 in the past two months.