Renewed calls for new Altnagelvin A&E with Robinson saying overcrowding means it can ‘resemble a chaotic army field hospital’
There have been renewed calls for a new A&E at Altnagelvin with one MLA saying overcrowding means the Derry facility can sometimes ‘resemble a chaotic army field hospital’.
DUP MLA Alan Robinson said: “One investment that I would welcome is a new emergency department for Altnagelvin. Our health service was in a different place in 1985, which is when Altnagelvin ED was constructed.
“It was added to in 2001 to allow for a 50-seat waiting area. It is well documented that that A&E lacks space, with overcrowding not only affecting the patients who are waiting but adversely affecting the hard-working staff.
“Picture yourself trying to provide skilled healthcare in an environment that can resemble a chaotic army field hospital. I suppose that that is replicated across our Province.”
The East Derry MLA was speaking during a debate at Stormont on Tuesday.
The Chair of the Stormont Health Committee Philip McGuigan said: “We were told in a previous Committee budget briefing that there are a significant number of new projects that the Department would like to commence in 2025/26 but are, unfortunately, unaffordable within the Department's capital budget allocation.
"Nevertheless, we propose to commence a mother-and-baby unit in Belfast and a new emergency department (ED) at Altnagelvin Area Hospital.”
A new A&E at Altnagelvin has been included in the Department of Health’s draft budget for 2025/26.
The draft document has set aside £3.4 million for the commencement of the new ED and a new Mother and Baby Unit in Belfast as ‘new projects’.