In response to an Assembly question tabled by Jim Allister MLA, the Health Minister admitted that 164 patients having to wait for more than 12 hours in February 2014 for treatment in Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department was ‘unacceptable’.
Commenting, Antrim TUV candidate, Richard Cairns said:
“A pledge was given by Minister Poots in December 2012 that twelve hour waits in Emergency Departments would be eliminated. Tell that to the 164 patients who attended Antrim A&E in February 2014, each of which had to wait for more than 12 hours to be seen.
“Further to that, only 63% were seen in four hours against a target of 95%. That is not a slight on the hard working staff who have had to endure the bureaucratic nightmare created by the Minister; they, like the patients, deserve better.
“The Minister falls back on increased attendances and admissions, which are due to his own bed-cutting antics that has resulted in the overall bed availability in the Northern Trust area being slashed by nearly 19%. No wonder Antrim Area is in demand, there simply are not other beds elsewhere!
“I welcome that the Minister has said it is ‘unacceptable’, but, as was pointed out in relation to the residential care homes debacle, the buck stops with the Minister. The Minister needs to take responsibility”.
Note to Editors:
Written Answer AQW 32978/11-15 – Emergency Department in Antrim Area Hospital
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety how his statement to the Assembly in December 2012 that it was both possible and desirable that twelve hour waits in Emergency Departments would be eliminated in the short term marries with the performance of Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department in February 2014 when 164 patients had to wait more than twelve hours to be admitted and 63 per cent of all patients attending were seen in four hours against the target of 95 per cent.
Emergency department performance is subject to fluctuating pressures and increasing demand. The emergency department in Antrim Area Hospital has seen an increase in attendances and admissions in 2013/14 compared to the previous year, with attendances up by around 2% and non-elective admissions up by 5.6%. Improved performance in waiting times was sustained for much of 2013 but has declined over the winter months. I was disappointed by the provisional emergency department waiting time statistics for February 2014 and I look to the Health and Social Care Board to continue to work with the Trust to sustain the improvement achieved last year. I find it unacceptable that anyone should have to wait for long periods in our emergency departments.
Written Answer AQW 32977/11-15 – Emergency Department in Antrim Area Hospital
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for his assessment of the performance of the Emergency Department in Antrim Area Hospital in February 2014 when 164 patients had to wait more than twelve hours to be admitted and only 63 per cent of patients attending were seen in four hours against the target of 95 per cent.
Emergency department performance is subject to fluctuating pressures and increasing demand. The emergency department in Antrim Area Hospital has seen an increase in attendances and admissions in 2013/14 compared to the previous year, with attendances up by around 2% and non-elective admissions up by 5.6%. Improved performance in waiting times was sustained for much of 2013 but has declined over the winter months. I was disappointed by the provisional emergency department waiting time statistics for February 2014 and I look to the Health and Social Care Board to continue to work with the Trust to sustain the improvement achieved last year. I find it unacceptable that anyone should have to wait for long periods in our emergency departments.