Northern Trust: Antrim Area and Causeway Hospitals both 'extremely busy' with long waits

The Northern Health Trust say that staff are working hard to triage patients and prioritise those needing urgent care.

According to Health and Social Care ‘pressure on services’ figures on Monday there were 129 people waiting in the emergency department at Antrim Area, 58 were waiting for a hospital bed.

At Causeway Hospital, 61 are in the emergency department with 35 waiting for a bed.

In a social media post, a Trust spokesperson said: "Please use our Phone First clinical triage service if you are considering attending ED with an urgent injury or illness which is not immediately life-threatening.

"Phone First is available Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm, by ringing 0300 123 1 123.

“By using Phone First, your condition, or that of the person you are calling on behalf of, will be clinically assessed and you will be directed to the most appropriate care pathway for your needs. It's important to remember that there are different healthcare services available to ensure you get the right care to treat your condition. In an emergency, always call 999.”