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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: 31st October 2025

BHSCT 150
NHSCT 132
SET 74
SHSCT 54
WHSCT 152
REGIONAL TOTAL 562

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: 31st 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 41 21 22 110
Belfast RVH 94 35 23 199
Belfast Belfast Total 135 56 45 309
Northern ANTRIM 109 48 51 199
Northern CAUSEWAY 63 25 27 125
Northern Northern Total 172 73 78 324
South Eastern ULSTER 135 29 34 198
South Eastern South East Total 135 29 34 198
Southern CRAIGAVON 76 28 25 191
Southern DAISY HILL 58 20 19 117
Southern Southern Total 134 48 44 308
Western ALTNAGELVIN 85 52 55 101
Western SWAH 52 16 13 76
Western Western Total 137 68 68 177
Regional Position Regional Total 713 274 269 1316

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 17th October 2025 -Thursday 23rd October 2025
Trust Hospital ED Attendances Number of Waits > 12hrs % of Waits <4 hrs
Belfast MATER 847 160 27%
Belfast RVH 1,711 488 15%
Belfast RBHSC 863 4 73%
Belfast Belfast Total 3,421 652 33%
Northern ANTRIM 1,834 414 37%
Northern CAUSEWAY 989 138 49%
Northern Northern Total 2,823 552 41%
South Eastern ULSTER 1,640 399 20%
South Eastern LAGAN VALLEY 427 0 69%
South Eastern DOWNE 347 0 96%
South Eastern South East Total 2,414 399 39%
Southern CRAIGAVON 1,520 452 32%
Southern DAISY HILL 1,118 161 39%
Southern Southern Total 2,638 613 35%
Western ALTNAGELVIN 1,147 212 33%
Western SWAH 802 148 36%
Western Western Total 1,949 360 34%
Regional Position Regional Total 13,245 2,576 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