05/10/2022
Appeal Issued For People Not To Attend Emergency Dept At Altnagelvin Hospital
An Emergency Medicine Consultant has issued an appeal to the public to avoid attending the emergency department at Altnagelvin Hospital in L’Derry as it is in "dire straits".
In a video posted on social media, Sandy Nelson, said there are 110 patients in the emergency department and 45 people are waiting for a bed.
He said: "I have four ambulances awaiting an offload which means they can’t get out into the community to come see the emergencies. There are just patients everywhere and we are struggling.
"If you can do anything to help us it would be greatly appreciated, be that coming to pick up your relatives that are due discharge as early as possible, or saving the emergency department for absolute emergencies.
"We are in dire straits and I am asking for your help at this time."
Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Delargy said the situation is a "real worry".
He said: "The public deserve access to first-class healthcare yet as we speak dozens of people are having to wait to access care.
"Our healthcare system is at breaking point and our health staff have worked themselves into the ground trying to maintain frontline services.
"Unfortunately, the staff alone cannot fix this crisis.
"We need a functioning Executive so that the additional £1 billion over three years for health proposed in Finance Minister Conor Murphy's draft budget to tackle waiting lists and recruit more doctors and nurses can be put to work.
"I once again call on the DUP to lift their cruel boycott of the Political institutions and get back round the Executive table to work with others to support workers and families suffering from the cost of living crisis and fix the health service."
Click here to view the video on Twitter.
In a video posted on social media, Sandy Nelson, said there are 110 patients in the emergency department and 45 people are waiting for a bed.
He said: "I have four ambulances awaiting an offload which means they can’t get out into the community to come see the emergencies. There are just patients everywhere and we are struggling.
"If you can do anything to help us it would be greatly appreciated, be that coming to pick up your relatives that are due discharge as early as possible, or saving the emergency department for absolute emergencies.
"We are in dire straits and I am asking for your help at this time."
Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Delargy said the situation is a "real worry".
He said: "The public deserve access to first-class healthcare yet as we speak dozens of people are having to wait to access care.
"Our healthcare system is at breaking point and our health staff have worked themselves into the ground trying to maintain frontline services.
"Unfortunately, the staff alone cannot fix this crisis.
"We need a functioning Executive so that the additional £1 billion over three years for health proposed in Finance Minister Conor Murphy's draft budget to tackle waiting lists and recruit more doctors and nurses can be put to work.
"I once again call on the DUP to lift their cruel boycott of the Political institutions and get back round the Executive table to work with others to support workers and families suffering from the cost of living crisis and fix the health service."
Click here to view the video on Twitter.
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