Department of Health

Foyle SDLP MP Colum Eastwood.

‘We will not stand for this’ - Derry's MP

Oonagh McClure, the Northern Ireland representative of campaign group the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)

New law needed so medics are honest when treatment goes wrong in Northern Irelan...

North West Cancer Centre

WHSCT posts best performance on breast cancer urgent referrals

Sinn Féin Councillor Sandra Duffy.

Ambulance handover delays 'simply unacceptable'

East Londonderry UUP Association Chairman Robert Carmichael.

Community hospitals 'a priority', urges East Derry UUP

SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

‘People are living in constant pain’

A selection of gents from the Men's Support Group at Claude's Cafe, pictured at Tuesday's health event.

Free health checks at Sean Dolan’s

The number of residential beds in the Western Trust declined by nine per cent over the past four years.

9% drop in the number of residential beds in the Western Trust

Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Michael McBride and Mark O’Kane, pharmacist at Woodbourne Pharmacy.

‘There's still time to get your flu vaccine to protect yourself’

For poorer men life expectancy increased from 71.1 years to 71.6 years but was still 5.9 years less than the LGD average (77.5 years).

2025 is the year to address scandalous health inequalities

The Department of Health has apologised to patients facing long waits for treatment as the health and social care system continues to experience severe pressure on services.

DoH apologises to patients facing long waits amid severe winter pressure

The first ever cohort of paramedics to be trained in Northern Ireland graduate from Ulster University in Derry.

History made as first Ulster University paramedic students graduate in Derry

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt in Derry.

Money and environment account for 50% of Derry health inequalities: Nesbitt

Neil Guckian has pointed out that the Western Trust has managed to post the best breast cancer waiting time performance in the North despite an 11.4 per cent increase in red flag referrals.

Neil Guckian: WHSCT best breast cancer performance achieved despite 11.4% hike

Folic acid is to be added to flour. File picture Wollertz / Adobe.

Folic acid to be added to white flour in Northern Ireland

(L-R) Michelle Tennyson, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, Justice Minister, Naomi Long MLA, Ruth Sedgewick, Head of RCSLT NI, Education Minister, Paul Givan MLA.

Speech, Language and Communication needs joined up thinking at Stormont
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists calls for cross-departmental collaboration between Justice, Education, and Health
Chloe Wilsdon

Chorley has been revealed as the smoking capital of Britain.

1,325 successfully quit cigarettes in WHSCT – 66% of those who set quit dates

There has been 40 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of children and young people waiting longer than nine weeks for a mental health assessment in the Western Trust.

40% increase in children waiting over nine weeks for mental health assessments

Chris Kerr, manager of Men's Action Network (MAN), which is based in Derry.

Mike Nesbitt not able to engage Executive on funding for Men’s Action Network

Altnagelvin Hospital

Altnagelvin and other acute hospitals to provide backbone of new health network

The Western Trust has posted the best cancer waiting time performance of any health authority but is still missing key targets.

Western Trust posts best cancer waiting performance but is still missing targets

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt pictured with newly appointed Independent Autism Reviewer Ema Cubitt.

Independent Autism Reviewer appointed

Almost half of all admissions under the mental health programme last year were in the Western Trust, according to new Department of Health figures.

Almost half of the North’s mental health admissions in Western Trust

The Western Trust recorded the lowest percentage of births of any health authority last year.

Western Trust records lowest percentage of births in the North at 16.7% (3,319)

Altnagelvin Hospital.

97,738 inpatient admissions in the Western Trust, 21.3% of North admissions

Derry MLAs Snéad McLaughlin and Ciara Ferguson.

Alarm at missed cancer targets

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt visited Gary Rutherford and his team at ARC Fitness on Tuesday where he heard from a service user and Gary about the vital work and help the organisation provides to people and their families who are dealing with addiction. The Minister announced funding worth £200,000 to help secure the future for the much needed service. Picture Martin McKeown. 09.07.24

Health Minister announces £200,000 funding for ARC Fitness
The Health Minister has announced £200,000 funding for Derry-based ARC Fitness.
Laura Glenn

Mark H. Durkan told MLAs this week that the ‘state of health’ in Derry is ‘not like Beirut: it is worse’.

Durkan says ‘state of health’ in Derry is ‘not like Beirut: it is worse’

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has said inequality should be a ‘challenge for us all’ after a report showed life expectancy among poorer Derry women has fallen.

Life spans of poorer women fall as Nesbitt says inequality a ‘challenge to all’

Junior doctors on strike at Altnagelvin in March.

Disruption expected in Derry as junior doctors get set for 48 hour strike

SDLP MLA Cara Hunter

ADHD patients ‘desperately seeking support’ and ‘severely anxious’

There are over 400 people awaiting mental health assessment in the Western Health and Social Care Trust area. (file picture)

Over 400 children and adults on CAMHS waiting lists

Altnagelvin Hospital.

Free parking at NI hospitals scrapped after just 4 days

The lower car park at Altnagelvin Hospital.

Disruption possible at hospital car parks, says Department of Health

Over 680 untoward event notifications related to looked after children were reported by the Western Trust over the past years, the Department of Health has confirmed.

687 ‘untoward event’ notifications in relation to looked after children

North West Cancer Centre

Nearly 8,000 cases of cancer diagnosed in Western Trust in five years

Robin Swann

352 patients supported by homeless nurse in Western Trust in one year

New figures obtained by SDLP MLA Mark H. Durkan show of 389 waits for appointments with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in the Western Trust at January 31, 271 (70 per cent) were for in excess of nine weeks.

70% of children waiting for mental health assessment waited over nine weeks

The Health and Social Care system including Health and Social Care Trusts, GPs, Pharmacists and Dentists, want to assure everyone that arrangements are in place should you or a member of your family become ill or have an accident.

Derry Easter: Health care opening hours over the holidays

The North West Cancer Centre

Cancer waiting times: Western Trust records best performance

The cost of employing agency nurses in the Western Trust more than doubled from £12,530,115 in 2020/21 to £28,068,617 in 2022/23, according to figures from the Department of Health.

Cost of employing agency nurses in Western Trust rises to £28m

As of January 2024, the Western Health and Social Care Trust had 456 people on their waiting list for services provided by their Community Addictions Team,

Almost 500 people waiting for services for moderate to severe substance use

DUP MP Alan Robinson

Robinson speaks of two-tier health – ‘wealthy stay healthy while rest wait’

Professor Lourda Geoghegan, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Health Minister Robin Swann.

Measles cases here 'likely' after death in Leinster and rise across Europe

Mark H. Durkan

MLA blasts ‘postcode lottery’ with 4,417 waiting to see occupational therapist

Mark H. Durkan

Durkan: Expansion of prostate cancer drug abiraterone could save lives

SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin.

6,618 assaults on Western Trust staff ‘totally unacceptable’ - McLaughlin

Foyle SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin.

Improved HPV cervical screening welcomed

The average expected life span for men locally was nearly a year lower than the average for the North as a whole, which was 78.4 years in 2020-22.

Death by postcode: Male life expectancy shortens by six months in half decade

This winter, the Pharmacy First service will be extended to include a new pilot Sore Throat service in 42 community pharmacies across Northern Ireland from November 2023 to March 2024. Picture: Lifestock (nenetus - stock.adobe.com)

New pilot Sore Throat service in Derry pharmacies this winter

The Western Trust says diagnostic assessment and treatment of ADHD within its adult services ‘is currently not commissioned’.

No more ADHD referrals at the Western Trust: MLA raises concerns

Altnagelvin Hospital.

2024 free car parking plan for all hospitals may be overturned

Illegal fireworks present a real danger to the young people deploying them.

Happy Samhain and stay safe

A new audit office report has confirmed 100 per cent of patients with neurological conditions in the Western Trust were waiting more than 52 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment.

70 neurology patients (100%) in Western Trust waited over a year for treatment

Members of the Shared Lives NI for Older People reference group

Derry people encouraged to join new service to reduce loneliness in over 65s