STRAIN..The accident and emergency entrance to the South West Acute Hospital
THE INCREASED PRESSURES over the Christmas period took its toll on the Emergency Department at the South West Acute Hospital with two patients forced to wait more than 12 hours for treatment, while 25 patients were waiting to be discharged.
Across the North emergency departments were put under immense strain due to an increase in admissions. There were reports of long delays at Accident and Emergency in Enniskillen over the Christmas period with two patients forced to wait over twelve hours to be seen.
Due to the overwhelming pressures two non-urgent elective surgeries were postponed at the South West Hospital that were scheduled for Monday January 12. During the 15 day period from Monday December 22, 2014 to January 5, 2015 1243 people attended the Accident and Emergency Department at the South West Acute Hospital.
Speaking on Monday a Western Health and Social Care Trust outlined the pressures over the Christmas period .
“This time of the year is usually an extremely busy time for Emergency Departments across Northern Ireland due to Winter pressures. This was the case at both Altnagelvin and South West Acute Hospitals in recent days. As a measure to alleviate pressures at Altnagelvin Hospital elective surgery was cancelled up to and including Friday 9 January 2015. All urgent surgeries proceeded as planned. There were no postponed elective surgery at the South West Acute Hospital last week, however today (Monday 12 January 2015) there were two postponed elective surgeries.
“We would encourage the public to use Emergency Departments wisely and only attend if absolutely necessary.”
Jill Weir the Fermanagh/Omagh branch secretary for UNISON explained that while increased numbers were a factor in longer waiting times, the £7m cuts within the Western Trust have been acutely felt.
“Because of the Trust’s measures of cutting back on domiciliary care packages it means the flow of patients is not happening like it should be. As a result, one of their measures of savings has blocked up beds.”
She continued: “The emergency staff are fantastic, but have found it very hard over Christmas and staff have come to me regarding this. This is an ongoing problem. Coming out of work the other evening I saw four ambulances in the bay. Even to hand over patients there is a delay. They can’t come straight in, they have to wait unless it is a serious emergency. They have to queue also and it is putting a considerable strain on the department.
“With less care packages being awarded more people are unable to get out of hospital. People are fit to be discharged, but it is not happening as less care packages are being awarded.”
In figures obtained from the Western Trust on January 7 there were 25 Inpatient Complex Delayed Discharges at the South West Acute Hospital. These delays Jill believes are linked to the cuts in domiciliary care.
Local UUP councillor and mental health practitioner Raymond Farrell also expressed his concerns regarding the delays at the South West Acute Hospital. He told the Herald of one young student nurse who injured her foot at a formal was kept waiting most of the night to be seen in accident and emergency.
“Certainly from talking to members of staff you sense there’s significant pressures. It has been a difficult period of time. I know other parts of the province have been highlighted and maybe the west hasn’t been highlighted, but that’s due to a significant amount of work put in by staff. They have shown an awful amount of goodwill over this period.”
He too took issue with the cuts in domiciliary care.
“This remains an important issue and I have highlighted it on a number of occasions with trust officers. It is a case of bed blocking. People are ready to move on to the home environment, but they can’t provide what they need. It is not good for the patient or the service.”
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