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07/04/2008
A&E Closure Slammed
An 'early-closing' hospital accident and emergency unit has been slammed
Things are so bad that a mid-Ulster politician has called on the Executive Health Minister to take action after the accident and emergency department at the Mid-Ulster Hospital closed early without warning.
The unit normally closes at 11pm each night but since Friday last it has shut four hours earlier.
It means that people needing emergency treatment after 5pm have to travel many miles to Antrim Area Hospital.
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust said the decision was taken due to short-term staffing difficulties.
However, it was only last year that the hospital's original 24-hour accident and emergency department was closed down.
SDLP MLA, Patsy McGlone, has now called for an urgent meeting, because he said the community was outraged at the latest move – and claimed that staff were given 15 minutes notice of the early closure on Friday.
"It is a ridiculous management situation. Staff were running around putting up notices in here on Friday at a quarter to five. "As we all know, for accident and emergency, weekends are incredibly busy times.
"In a statement, the Trust said: "The Trust has had to take the decision to close the accident and emergency department at Mid-Ulster Hospital at 5pm, from 11pm due to short term staffing difficulties.
"The situation will be kept under review on a daily basis.
"We have advised partners and all appropriate agencies, most notably the ambulance service and local GPs."
(BMcC)
Things are so bad that a mid-Ulster politician has called on the Executive Health Minister to take action after the accident and emergency department at the Mid-Ulster Hospital closed early without warning.
The unit normally closes at 11pm each night but since Friday last it has shut four hours earlier.
It means that people needing emergency treatment after 5pm have to travel many miles to Antrim Area Hospital.
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust said the decision was taken due to short-term staffing difficulties.
However, it was only last year that the hospital's original 24-hour accident and emergency department was closed down.
SDLP MLA, Patsy McGlone, has now called for an urgent meeting, because he said the community was outraged at the latest move – and claimed that staff were given 15 minutes notice of the early closure on Friday.
"It is a ridiculous management situation. Staff were running around putting up notices in here on Friday at a quarter to five. "As we all know, for accident and emergency, weekends are incredibly busy times.
"In a statement, the Trust said: "The Trust has had to take the decision to close the accident and emergency department at Mid-Ulster Hospital at 5pm, from 11pm due to short term staffing difficulties.
"The situation will be kept under review on a daily basis.
"We have advised partners and all appropriate agencies, most notably the ambulance service and local GPs."
(BMcC)
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