Western Trust

St Columb’s House in St Columb’s Park. DER2126GS - 126

Carers urged to join Trust group

DEEDS staff and members Mick Canny, Wendy McLaughlin, Leonard Mills Kathleen McNaught and Gerard McGill at the launch of the ‘Scan the Band’ Dementia Safeguarding Scheme in the Guildhall. Photo: George Sweeney

DEEDs support worker says dementia wristband will ‘save lives’

Majella Magee, Lilian Seenoi-Barr and Mandy Corr,

New dementia wristband will give people ‘peace of mind’ and help them if lost

Age Concern Causeway’s Manager Mandy Corr

New dementia wristband will give people ‘peace of mind’ and help them if lost

Group pictured launching the countdown. Paula McGuinness, encompass Programme Lead; Michelle McElhinney, encompass Readiness Owner and Linda Robinson, encompass Readiness Owner.

Trust Health records set to go online

North West Cancer Centre

WHSCT records best performance on cancer patients starting treatment in 31 days

Mark Gillespie, Director of Planned Care Services, at the Western Trust.

Significant drop in patients enduring ‘double ED’ waits in Enniskillen and Derry

Dr. Brendan Lavery.

Clinical outcomes improve after consolidation of emergency surgery in Derry

Western Trust planning boss Teresa Molloy and Chief Executive Neil Guckian with colleagues as the prepare for 'encompass'. The new digital system, designed to enhance patient care and streamline medical records, is scheduled to go live on May 8, 2025.

Teresa Molloy says ‘encompass’ will revolutionise care in seven weeks’ time

Students from Foyle College taking part in the EWTS Programme.

Young people benefit from Emotional Wellbeing programme

Pregabalin, a drug normally prescribed for anxiety, epilepsy and pain.

14 drug-related deaths registered in Derry and Strabane council area in 2023

Altnagelvin A&E

Altnagelvin Resuscitation Room to be relocated for essential upgrades this week

Kate Crossan Lead SLT for Surestart, Kevin Duggan, Social Care Commissioning Lead for Early Years SPPG; Emma Mullan SLT; Tricia Davidson, Communication Assistant; Emer Maguire, local Comedian and Science Communicator. Also pictured are members of the WHSCT Best Start in Life Group Hilary Campbell and Joyce McKittrick, Lisa Storey, Child Development Interventions Coordinator; Ruth Sedgewick Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy NI Officer and Sheena Pierce, Childcare Partnership, SPPG.

New Trust SureStart baby programmes

The corridor seating where the woman said they were told her 80-year-old father could sleep.

Woman’s shock during Derry A&E visit

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

Rossville Group members participating in a traditional music workshop as part of Imbolc.

Rossville Group enjoy traditional music workshop as part of Imbolc festival
Rossville Group members have participated in a traditional music workshop as part of the Imbolc International Music Festival at Pilots Row in Derry this week.
Kevin Mullan

The Foyle bridge has been closed.

Derry bridge closed as Storm Éowyn makes landfall in Ireland

Patients have been advised to assume any scheduled appointments in the Western Trust have been cancelled tomorrow unless contacted otherwise.

WHSCT patients advised to assume appointments cancelled

City of Derry Tennis Club cheque presented to Foyle Hospice.

City of Derry Tennis Club cheque presented to Foyle Hospice

Early artist impressions of the proposed Cityside Health and Care Centre at Fort George.

Fort George health hub design complete and application to be submitted this year

DUP MLA Alan Robinson has spoken of how a close relative was kept out of hospital after contracting flu this winter thanks to the ‘absolutely wonderful’ support they received through the Hospital at Home care service in the Western Trust.

Robinson hails ‘wonderful’ Hospital at Home care after relative suffers flu

Altnagelvin hospital.

Trust chief apologies for emergency department wait times and delays

Dr Tom Frawley encouraged people across the North West to have conversations about organ donation between family and colleagues.

Western Health Trust encourages Derry to talk about organ donation

People in Derry have been advised to walk like a penguin to avoid slipping and sustaining injury on the ice during the ongoing cold snap.

People in Derry urged to walk like a penguin to avoid injury during cold snap

Altnagelvin

Western Trust issues urgent appeal for staff to cover shifts at Altnagelvin

Altnagelvin Hospital.

Altnagelvin Hospital's Emergency Department 'extremely busy' across the weekend

Cases have trebled in Derry and Strabane.

Flu cases in Derry & Strabane treble
The number of influenza cases recorded in Derry and Strabane more than trebled over the the course of a week, new figures released by the Public Health Agency have confirmed.
Brendan McDaid

Woman with tissue and hot drink --- Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis

Flu hitting hard this year

Proud mum and dad Lisa and Warren Hamilton from Tempo with their new born baby boy and son Arlo. Baby Hamilton was the first baby born on New Year's Day in the Western Trust. He was born at the SWAH at 4.01am weighing 8lbs 10z.

In Pictures: Joy and delight as New Year babies are born

New pyjamas being presented to the Altnagelvin emergency department by the Derry hospital’s housekeeping team.

Altnagelvin’s housekeeping ‘healthcare heroes’ donate PJs to A&E

People are being asked not to visit Altnagelvin if they have symptoms of influenza, coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus or other winter illnesses prevalent in Derry at present.

People with flu, COVID-19 or RSV symptoms asked not to attend Altnagelvin

Western Trust Chief Executive Neil Guckian in one of the bloopers shot during 2024.

Western Trust releases hilarious reel of 2024 bloopers and outtakes

Baby Alfie pictured with one of the midwives on duty

Derry’s ‘Christmas baby’ Alfie Thomas welcomed to the world at Altnagelvin

Fantastic costumes at the 2024 Halloween festivities. Photo: George Sweeney

Review of the Year 2024: October - Best ever Hallowe’en in Derry

Dr. Tom Frawley.

‘Extremely long waits during very challenging winter period’

Rev Livingston, Rev Blair and Fr Canny with Carers and Geraldine McLaughlin.

Western Trust hosts Carers Carol Services

Dr Neil Black

Derry A&E staff in plea amid huge pressures

Visitors from the Western Trust's Children’s Disability Service enjoying an amazing Santa experience evening at Destined.

29 brilliant photographs of amazing Santa experience at Derry’s Destined

The Trust's Hospital at Home team, who are treating people in their homes.

Hospital at Home service helps winter pressures

Group photo of Childrens Ward staff

‘Fred the Red’ Visits Children’s Ward at Altnagelvin Hospital

The Mayor Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr welcomed members of the Respiratory Team from the Western Health and Social Care Trust to the Guildhall where Omagh based Community Respiratory Nurse Joan Graham accepted a commemorative gift on their behalf. The gift is inscribed with the citation, “In recognition of your Outstanding Commitment Care and Dedication to the people of the Western Health and Social Care Trust Area”. The team were nominated by Daniel McCrossan MLA whose late mother benefited from the care and expertise they provided. Picture Martin McKeown. 26.11.24

Derry & Strabane Mayor hosts reception for Western Trust's Respiratory team

Expenditure on expensive off-contract agency nurses across the north’s health service has been reduced by £121m, according to Western Trust Chief Executive Neil Guckian.

Expenditure on expensive off-contract agency nurses down by £121m

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

A ‘real demand-capacity gap’ in nursing home places for people requiring dementia care is the ‘overwhelming reason’ for delayed discharges from the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) and Altnagelvin, Neil Guckian has said.

‘Capacity gap’ in dementia places ‘overwhelming reason’ for delayed discharges

Western Trust Chief Executive Neil Guckian.

42% spike in red flag referrals having impact on elective waiting lists: Guckian

Western Trust Chief Executive Neil Guckian

Neil Guckian: Pay deal crucial with WHSCT ‘haemorrhaging staff’ to Donegal

Chris Dawson (38) successfully underwent surgery to cancer that had developed from a mole on his leg three months ago.

Survivor Chris speaks of cancer shock and urges people to get checked

A young girl from Greysteel was told she had to wait for a year to get a tooth extracted despite not being able to eat such were the waiting times for specialist dental care. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP) (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Girl from Greysteel told she had to wait a year to get tooth out

Altnagelvin A&E

Altnagelvin A&E ‘very busy’ with almost 100 patients waiting for treatment

Chorley has been revealed as the smoking capital of Britain.

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

SDLP Councillor Rory Farrell. DER1319GS-031

Some patients waiting years for Occupational Therapy

The Western Trust’s Human Milk Bank service based at the South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen is making a fresh appeal for more donor mums to come forward and help to provide essential lifesaving donor breast milk for babies in Neonatal Units in hospitals throughout the whole of Ireland.

Appeal for more mums to donate lifesaving breast milk

The Western Trust says it may be difficult to provide all planned services this winter whilst managing an expected surge in demand for unscheduled care.

Winter surge will make it difficult to provide all planned services, says Trust

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

Dr Elizabeth Best, Stroke Speciality Doctor at Altnagelvin Hospital with the FAST poster.

Derry Stroke Team urge people to seek help immediately