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Patients attending the Emergency Department (ED) at Craigavon Area Hospital encountered average waiting times approaching 19 hours on Wednesday morning, according to data released at 09:00 GMT. Other hospitals, including the Royal Victoria and Ulster hospitals, were also dealing with prolonged waits averaging around nine hours. These statistics come in the wake of reports from Tuesday, when over 40 ambulances were reported to be waiting outside hospital EDs, with the longest wait exceeding 13 hours.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) attributed these delays to widespread challenges throughout the Health and Social Care (HSC) system, compounded by ongoing trade union action short of strike. By 10:00 GMT on Wednesday, there were 64 calls pending awaiting ambulance response, and 15 ambulances stationed at emergency departments. On the previous day, Tuesday, NIAS reported 100 calls waiting and noted that the number of ambulances queued outside EDs was changing hour by hour. NIAS expressed regret over the lengthy waits experienced by patients and their families and acknowledged the strain caused by these delays.
Efforts have been made recently across the healthcare system to address handover delays between ambulance crews and emergency departments. According to a NIAS spokesperson, measures such as enhanced escalation protocols, daily coordination meetings between NIAS and hospital trusts, and focused improvements inside EDs to promote quicker patient flow and ambulance release have helped stabilize the situation somewhat. Nevertheless, the spokesperson emphasized that the system remains under intense pressure.
NIAS also highlighted that some paramedics are stationed within its Emergency Operations Centre to triage incoming calls, aiming to identify those that might be managed through alternatives to attending an ED. They urged patients and carers not to repeatedly call 999 to check on ambulance arrival times, as this practice places additional strain on control room staff. However, they stressed that if a patient’s condition worsens after the initial call, it is imperative to call 999 immediately
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