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21/03/2012
Plans Announced To Cut A&E Waiting Times
Northern Ireland's Health Minister has said that he wants to see the majority of patients at A&E departments either admitted or discharged within four hours.
Following recent criticisms of NI's A&E departments, Edwin Poots, has announced his proposals for targeting long waiting times and has said that he aims for 95% of patients at these departments to be dealt with more quickly.
As part of the plans he will permit senior nurses to discharge patients at weekends and on public holidays and allow more people to be let home before lunchtime.
The Minister is also establishing an action group, made up of the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and the Public Health Agency, to look into the situation immediately.
Mr Poots said: "I will not accept poor or sub-standard services in our hospitals.
"The proposals in the 'Transforming Your Care' report, represent a radical change to how we currently deliver health services.
"However, providing safe and effective services means looking to the here and now, as well as the future, and we need to ensure that the services that are currently being delivered serve all of our citizens well."
(LB/GK)
Following recent criticisms of NI's A&E departments, Edwin Poots, has announced his proposals for targeting long waiting times and has said that he aims for 95% of patients at these departments to be dealt with more quickly.
As part of the plans he will permit senior nurses to discharge patients at weekends and on public holidays and allow more people to be let home before lunchtime.
The Minister is also establishing an action group, made up of the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and the Public Health Agency, to look into the situation immediately.
Mr Poots said: "I will not accept poor or sub-standard services in our hospitals.
"The proposals in the 'Transforming Your Care' report, represent a radical change to how we currently deliver health services.
"However, providing safe and effective services means looking to the here and now, as well as the future, and we need to ensure that the services that are currently being delivered serve all of our citizens well."
(LB/GK)
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