‘Nothing will be perfect’ until Altnagelvin gets new A&E, says Health Minister Mike Nesbitt
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has said ‘nothing is going to be perfect’ at Altnagelvin’s Emergency Department until a modern new unit is developed at the Derry hospital.
Mr. Nesbitt said: “I visited EDs last January. Of the seven that I visited, it is the visit to Altnagelvin that sticks. It is the oldest of the type 1 EDs in Northern Ireland, and you can tell that it is, but things are being done.
"The trust is doing things, even with seating accommodation, to try to ease the pressures. However, until you get a new ED, which is several years away, nothing is going to be perfect. We are only going to be doing continuous improvement.”
The minister was asked about pressures on the local A&E by Foyle MLA Ciara Ferguson, who referred to a recent period of intense pressure when 133 people were waiting for treatment and 49 awaiting admission.
“What can you say to reassure the people who are seeking emergency care and to our staff who are working in A&E in Altnagelvin that things will change for the better?” asked the Sinn Féin MLA.
Mr. Nesbitt said the institution of the the Minor Injuries Unit at Altnagelvin last year has improved matters somewhat.
The facility allows people with less serious injuries to make appointments for treatment taking pressure off A&E.
"The urgent care offer at Altnagelvin has helped, and the respiratory offer has helped — we are increasing the availability and accessibility to the respiratory offer. Those things mean that you have pathways by which you can avoid having to go to ED,” said Mr. Nesbitt.
But the minister warned it is no longer appropriate to talk about ‘winter pressures’ as A&E departments are challenged 365 days a year.
"These issues have been growing for a very, very long time…it is not about just winter pressures. In fact, going through last winter, I said to colleagues in the Department, ‘Please stop talking about winter pressures. We should be talking about additional winter pressures, because, sadly, the pressures on our emergency departments are 365’.
"That has been very obvious, even over the summer. Here we are in mid-September. I have no doubt that, if we took ourselves to Derry/Londonderry and visited the ED at Altnagelvin, we would see a very unbecoming sight,” he declared.