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Service Pressures

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

Patients Declared Medically Optimised for Discharge with Complex Discharge Needs – Snapshot position as at 1030 am

Date: 9th October 2025

BHSCT 156
NHSCT 124
SET 86
SHSCT 57
WHSCT 145
REGIONAL TOTAL 568

Number of Patients in Emergency Departments

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.

Emergency Departments – Snapshot Position at 12pm Today

Date: 9th October 2025

Trust Hospital Total Waiting in Emergency Department Over 12 hours Number of Patients Waiting for Admission to a Hospital Bed (DTA) ED Attendances previous 24hrs (midnight to midnight)
Belfast MATER 43 11 10 110
Belfast RVH 109 22 18 209
Belfast Belfast Total 152 33 28 319
Northern ANTRIM 129 63 63 252
Northern CAUSEWAY 61 21 22 138
Northern Northern Total 190 84 85 390
South Eastern ULSTER 194 55 57 173
South Eastern South East Total 194 55 57 173
Southern CRAIGAVON 104 45 41 188
Southern DAISY HILL 58 15 11 151
Southern Southern Total 162 60 52 339
Western ALTNAGELVIN 95 43 47 117
Western SWAH 54 19 18 129
Western Western Total 149 62 65 246
Regional Position Regional Total 847 294 287 1467

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.
  • These figures do not include Urgent Care & Phone First attendances.

ED Pressures – Weekly Indicators

Weekly Position: Friday 26th September 2025 -Thursday 2nd October 2025
Trust Hospital ED Attendances Number of Waits > 12hrs % of Waits <4 hrs
Belfast MATER 828 107 36%
Belfast RVH 1,616 358 17%
Belfast RBHSC 746 2 66%
Belfast Belfast Total 3,190 467 33%
Northern ANTRIM 1,827 340 31%
Northern CAUSEWAY 986 129 51%
Northern Northern Total 2,813 469 38%
South Eastern ULSTER 1,560 404 22%
South Eastern LAGAN VALLEY 425 0 73%
South Eastern DOWNE 342 0 93%
South Eastern South East Total 2,327 404 42%
Southern CRAIGAVON 1,472 344 34%
Southern DAISY HILL 1,116 152 40%
Southern Southern Total 2,588 496 37%
Western ALTNAGELVIN 1,140 233 27%
Western SWAH 788 138 43%
Western Western Total 1,928 371 33%
Regional Position Regional Total 12,846 2,207 36%
PLEASE NOTE:

There have been changes to delay codes and performance monitoring targets over recent years so care must be taken when interpreting trends.

There are additional caveats regarding availability of data due to encompass implementation.

If any advice is required in terms of interpretation please contact SPPG Information at:  SPPGInformation@hscni.net

ED attendances are New & Unplanned only, and no UCC, Phone First or MIU attendances are included

Southern and Western Trust data is sourced from eEMS & Sypmhony universes within Business Objects

Belfast, Northern and South Eastern data is sourced from EPIC, though please note EPIC data currently subject to ongoing validation with Trusts