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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: 18th September 2025

BHSCT 150
NHSCT 131
SET 82
SHSCT N/A
WHSCT 151
REGIONAL TOTAL 514

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: 18th September 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 31 8 8 100
Belfast RVH 96 9 9 228
Belfast Belfast Total 127 17 17 328
Northern ANTRIM 144 65 64 253
Northern CAUSEWAY 64 25 25 137
Northern Northern Total 208 90 89 390
South Eastern ULSTER 180 54 50 222
South Eastern South East Total 180 54 50 222
Southern CRAIGAVON 183 135 49 N/A
Southern DAISY HILL 117 60 11 N/A
Southern Southern Total 300 195 60 N/A
Western ALTNAGELVIN 102 47 46 140
Western SWAH 45 17 16 107
Western Western Total 147 64 62 247
Regional Position Regional Total 962 420 278 1288

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 5th September 2025 -Thursday 11th September 2025
Hospital ED Attendances Number of Waits > 12hrs % of Waits <4 hrs
MATER 801 131 33%
RVH 1,645 495 15%
RBHSC 798 1 76%
Belfast Total 3,244 627 34%
ANTRIM 1,866 350 36%
CAUSEWAY 1,026 133 50%
Northern Total 2,892 483 41%
ULSTER 1,569 586 16%
LAGAN VALLEY 433 0 69%
DOWNE 348 0 92%
South East Total 2,350 586 37%
CRAIGAVON 1,565 401 33%
DAISY HILL 1,077 146 42%
Southern Total 2,642 547 37%
ALTNAGELVIN 1,078 271 26%
SWAH 767 118 44%
Western Total 1,845 389 34%
Regional Total 12,973 2,632 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