Altnagelvin A&E times improve

During July 2010 the target of treating all A&E patients within four hours was not achieved but 86.1 per cent of the 8,172 patients presenting at Western Trust casualty departments during the month were treated within this time frame.

This was an improvement on 82.8 per cent of 8,328 treated within four hours during June 2010.

A large chunk of this improvement was delivered at Altnagelvin with 80 per cent of 4,609 patients seen within four hours in July compared to 75.1 per cent of 4,731 patients in June.

During both months five patients were required to wait in Western Trust casualty departments for between four and 12 hours.

Across Northern Ireland 86.3 per cent patients were either treated and discharged or admitted within four hours of their arrival in an Emergency Care Department.

This represented an improvement, compared to 85.6 per cent in June 2010 and 82.8 per cent in May 2010.

The figures also show a further drop in the number of patients who waited longer than 12 hours across all Emergency Care Departments. A total of 126 patients waited longer than 12 hours across all emergency care departments in July 2010, compared to 209 in June 2010 and 661 in May 2010.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) said: "This continued improvement is encouraging and healthcare staff are to be commended for their hard work in delivering high quality services to patients and the public.

"However, limited resources continue to pose a significant challenge and the Minister has continually stated his commitment to pressing for much needed additional funding to invest in our health service to meet rising demand.

"Trusts are expected to continue their efforts to ensure that available resources are used as effectively and efficiently as possible in the drive to improve waiting times."

To help ensure continued improvement in waiting times, the spokesperson again stressed the importance of patients availing of the most appropriate service in an emergency situation.

He said: "Cuts, bruises and sprains are generally regarded as minor injuries and are not normally considered to be emergencies.

"Minor injuries services are now widely available across Northern Ireland with units at the Tyrone County, Mid Ulster, Whiteabbey, South Tyrone, Armagh, Ards and Bangor hospitals and the medical staff who work in these units are able to deal with the vast majority of conditions seen in A&E departments."