An average of 700 patients a month faced waits of between four and 12 hours in the Accident and Emergency Department at the South West Acute Hospital during the first three months of this year. 

Newly published figures from the Department of Health show the number of people waiting half a day to be treated, discharged from or admitted to SWAH in Enniskillen has risen in the past 12 months. In March 2015, 505 patients waited between four and 12 hours, rising to 717 in March 2016. 

A total of 8,231 patients attended SWAH’s A&E department between January and March of this year, with an average of 73% seen within the target waiting time of four hours. Some 24% of patients waited longer than four hours in March. In January, 25% of patients faced a wait of over 12 hours as the increased pressures over the Christmas period took their toll on the Emergency Department. 

Local DUP councillor and mental health practitioner Raymond Farrell has expressed his concerns regarding the delays at the South West Acute Hospital. 

“Anyone of us wants to be seen as soon as possible when we have to attend any Accident and Emergency Department both in terms of the nature of the condition and the anxiety that arises but the figures need to be considered in light of a number of factors.

“To a patient, a four hour wait can be stressful and we have to acknowledge that. That said, from having been in the South West Acute Emergency department myself recently, the staff were extremely busy, working very professionally and meeting challenge after challenge in a dedicated and committed way. The levels of staffing are obviously something that needs to be highlighted to ensure the existing team are being supported by the Department of Health and the Western Trust in every way possible. I fully support the team we have and will be asking that staffing levels are top of the agenda at all times in the rural acute hospital at all times”.  

Geraldine McKay, Director of Acute Services at the Western Trust, is advising patients that a visit to the hospital’s emergency department should only be reserved for an emergency situation. 

“We are asking the public to consider the best way to get medical help to assess and quickly treat their illness/ailment. People visit the emergency department for minor ailments, when access to other more appropriate services becomes difficult or they believe they cannot wait for a GP appointment. I understand people are concerned for their health but to ensure our emergency staff have the capacity to deal with appropriate emergency cases we are asking the public to think wisely before they visit us.

“Depending on the severity of the illness, patients may wish to speak to a local pharmacist or consult their local GP or GP Out of Hours services in the first instance.”