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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: 29th August 2025

BHSCT 148
NHSCT 152
SET 76
SHSCT 53
WHSCT 146
REGIONAL TOTAL 575

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: 29th August 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 35 13 11 97
Belfast RVH 116 43 31 175
Belfast Belfast Total 151 56 42 272
Northern ANTRIM 115 51 52 229
Northern CAUSEWAY 54 25 29 111
Northern Northern Total 169 76 81 340
South Eastern ULSTER 160 53 53 172
South Eastern South East Total 160 53 53 172
Southern CRAIGAVON 81 35 38 182
Southern DAISY HILL 38 12 6 144
Southern Southern Total 119 47 44 326
Western ALTNAGELVIN 88 47 49 139
Western SWAH 53 23 23 115
Western Western Total 141 70 72 254
Regional Position Regional Total 740 302 292 1364

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 15th August 2025 -Thursday 21st August 2025
Trust Hospital ED Attendances Number of Waits > 12hrs % of Waits <4 hrs
Belfast MATER 859 144 32%
Belfast RVH 1,519 419 20%
Belfast RBHSC 646 2 75%
Belfast Belfast Total 3,024 565 35%
Northern ANTRIM 1,809 335 33%
Northern CAUSEWAY 1,073 155 49%
Northern Northern Total 2,882 490 39%
South Eastern ULSTER 1,522 467 19%
South Eastern LAGAN VALLEY 431 0 71%
South Eastern DOWNE 397 0 96%
South Eastern South East Total 2,350 467 41%
Southern CRAIGAVON 1,585 389 33%
Southern DAISY HILL 1,034 175 40%
Southern Southern Total 2,619 564 36%
Western ALTNAGELVIN 1,192 258 27%
Western SWAH 786 119 40%
Western Western Total 1,978 377 32%
Regional Position Regional Total 12,853 2,463 37%
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