Altnagelvin A&E 'extremely busy' with 87 patients and 37 waiting outside

The Western Trust has urged people only to attend Altnagelvin A&E if they have a genuine emergency as the facility is 'extremely busy' with 37 people waiting to get into the hospital.

By Kevin Mullan

Published 4th Apr 2022, 12:56 BST- 1 min read

Updated 4th Apr 2022, 12:58 BST

The local health authority said it is experiencing a surge in attendance on Monday.

"Our Emergency Department at Altnagelvin Hospital is extremely busy today.

"87 people are currently in the Emergency Department

"37 people are awaiting admission to hospital for further treatment

"If your situation is life-threatening, a medical or mental health emergency, call 999 immediately or proceed straight to your nearest Emergency Department.

If you have an urgent, non-emergency medical situation, then we ask that you utilise the Phone First service on 0300 020 6000 where medical personnel will direct you to the best route of treatment. This may include visiting a Minor Injuries Unit or Out of Hours GP," the Western Trust said.

The A&E surge follows an urgent staff appeal for band five nurses at Altnagelvin on Sunday.

Altnagelvin Hospital