COVID-19 - Service Pressures

COVID-19 – Service Pressures

Health and Social Care (HSC) continues to respond to the unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19 during the current surge of the pandemic in Northern Ireland.

These challenges are causing significant disruption across all health and care services, including lengthy delays in our Emergency Departments (EDs) and cancellations of some planned appointments and treatment.

The following update provides a regional overview of the current pressures and challenges across the HSC System in Northern Ireland.

Number of people in Emergency Departments

Snapshot at 12 noon on 1 April 22

Trust	Hospital	0-4 hours	Over 4 – 8 hours	Over 8 to 12 hours	Over 12 hours	Total Waiting in Emergency Department	*Number of Patients Waiting for Admission to a Hospital Bed (DTA)*	*ED Attendances* *midnight on 30th to midnight on 31st*
Belfast	MATER	16	0	0	3	19	2	94
Belfast	RVH	35	4	3	35	77	34	303
Belfast	Belfast Total	51	4	3	38	96	36	397
Northern	ANTRIM	36	4	1	38	79	44	276
Northern	CAUSEWAY	21	6	2	12	41	15	135
Northern	Northern Total	57	10	3	50	120	59	411
South Eastern	ULSTER	52	7	2	48	109	56	282
South Eastern	South East Total	52	7	2	48	109	56	282
Southern	CRAIGAVON	33	2	4	20	59	23	201
Southern	DAISY HILL	27	5	0	9	41	9	160
Southern	Southern Total	60	7	4	29	100	32	361
Western	ALTNAGELVIN	49	5	1	30	85	32	194
Western	SWAH	11	1	1	10	23	10	88
Western	Western Total	60	6	2	40	108	42	282
Regional Position	Regional Total	280	34	14	205	533	225	1733

The information is taken from a live, operational dashboard and only provides a snapshot of Emergency Departments at a particular point in time. Therefore, as the situation in Emergency Departments is very dynamic, the information cannot and should not be taken as the definitive position.
The information is not updated on weekends or Bank Holidays.
Information provided relates to Type 1 sites only. Type 1 departments are defined as those with a consultant-led service with designated accommodation for the reception of emergency care patients, providing both emergency medicine and emergency surgical services on a round the clock basis.
In Emergency Departments, the sickest and most critically injured patients will be prioritised. People with less serious conditions unfortunately may have to wait longer to be seen, treated, and either discharged or admitted to a hospital bed. Please consider other services, including Urgent Care Centres (which are now running in RVH in Belfast and Downe Hospitals), Minor Injury Units, GP Out of Hours, or your own GP. Pharmacists now also have additional services in place and can also offer advice and treatment for common conditions and refer patients to other healthcare professionals as appropriate.

Emergency Department Figures

(Updated every Monday at approximately 4pm)

Weekly Position: 18 March – 24 March 2022

Trust	Hospital	ED Attendances	Number of people who waited more than 12 hours¹	% number of people who waited less than 4 hours¹	Non-Elective Admissions
Belfast	MATER	619	79	47%	139
Belfast	RVH	2,088	442	41%	495
Belfast	BCH				40
Belfast	RBHSC	969	2	65%	109
Belfast	Belfast Total	3,676	523	48%	783
Northern	ANTRIM	1,808	226	46%	400
Northern	CAUSEWAY	927	121	54%	149
Northern	Northern Total	2,735	347	49%	549
South Eastern	ULSTER	2,119	386	46%	546
South Eastern	LAGAN VALLEY	488	1	76%	60
South Eastern	South East Total	2,607	387	52%	606
Southern	CRAIGAVON	1,586	292	46%	374
Southern	DAISY HILL	1,116	123	53%	160
Southern	Southern Total	2,702	415	49%	534
Western	ALTNAGELVIN	1,366	229	38%	303
Western	SWAH	792	114	45%	146
Western	OMAGH	390	0	96%	79
Western	Western Total	2,548	343	49%	528
Regional Position	Regional Total	14,268	2,015	49%	3,000

¹To be seen, treated, and either discharged or admitted to a hospital bed.
Information provided relates to Type 1 and Type 2 ED sites. Type 1 departments are defined as those with a consultant-led service with designated accommodation for the reception of emergency care patients, providing both emergency medicine and emergency surgical services on around the clock basis. Type 2 departments are consultant-led service with designated accommodation for the reception of emergency care patients, but do not provide both emergency medicine and emergency surgical services and/or has time-limited opening hours.

[Source: Health and Social Care Board]

Cancelled elective procedures

HSC Trusts continue to make extremely difficult decisions to cancel some elective procedures to free nursing and medical resources to support the Intensive Care Units and the increasing number of patients with COVID-19 admitted to medical wards.

Unfortunately, cancer services have been adversely affected. Trusts are working very hard to maintain cancer care in so far as that is possible during the current surge.

Cancer services are seeking to maintain chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other non-surgical treatments and alternative treatments will be provided in the absence of surgical options.

A regional approach has also been developed to ensure that any available theatre capacity across Northern Ireland is allocated for those patients most in need of surgery, both during the surge and as we come out of this surge.

HSC is working to ensure that any cancelled procedures are rescheduled as soon as possible.

Cancellations will be kept under review as the impact of COVID-19 is being felt in all areas of the system and it is anticipated that this pressure will continue over the next number of weeks.

HSC would like to apologise to those patients, their families and carers who have been affected by surgeries being postponed and for any anxiety and distress caused to them.

From 18 March to 24 March 2022

In total 5721 elective procedures (inpatient and day case admission and regular attenders) were scheduled of which:

5518 elective procedures (inpatient and day case admission and regular attenders) went ahead as planned.
There were 203 cancellations (4%).
Of the 203 cancellations, there were: – 67 Red Flag suspected cancer procedures or confirmed cancer procedures cancelled. Trusts are actively working to offer new dates as soon as possible.

From 11 March to 17 March 2022

In total 5246 elective procedures (inpatient and day case admission and regular attenders) were scheduled of which:

5084 elective procedures (inpatient and day case admission and regular attenders) went ahead as planned.
There were 162 cancellations (3%).
Of the 162 cancellations, there were: – 67 Red Flag suspected cancer procedures or confirmed cancer procedures cancelled. Trusts are actively working to offer new dates as soon as possible.

From 04 March to 10 March 2022

In total 6080 elective procedures (inpatient and day case admission and regular attenders) were scheduled of which:

5874 elective procedures (inpatient and day case admission and regular attenders) went ahead as planned.
There were 206 cancellations (3%).
Of the 206 cancellations, there were: – 81 Red Flag suspected cancer procedures or confirmed cancer procedures cancelled. Trusts are actively working to offer new dates as soon as possible.

Bed pressures

Visit the Department of Health’s COVID-19 Dashboard and click on the General Bed Occupancy link for all the latest bed information across hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Department of Health’s COVID-19 Dashboard

Further information

For enquiries about the information available on this page contact the Communications Office at the Health and Social Care Board Tel: 028 9536 3278

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