‘Extreme levels of pressure’ in emergency departments, Omagh

THE emergency departments in both Altnagelvin and South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) are still under “extreme levels of pressure”, the chief executive of the Western Health Trust has stated.

Addressing the latest meeting of the Western Trust’s Board last Thursday, Neil Guckian said that high numbers of Covid-19 cases in the community and outbreaks within hospitals, coupled with the constant strain of general pressures, were making the situation in both hospital’s emergency departments “very difficult to manage”.

On the morning of the meeting, there were 41 patients waiting on beds to become available in Altnagelvin, while 21 patients waited for the same in SWAH.

“Each of these patients are all members of our community, all with families,” said Mr Guckian, reminding those in attendance of the people behind the statistics.

On Friday, Western Trust hospitals had the fewest Covid-19 in-patients of any of the North’s five Trusts.

Between the two hospitals, 53 beds held patients admitted with Covid-19 – 29 in Altnagelvin and 24 in SWAH.

Mr Guckian thanked staff for the work they are doing to manage the situation, but recognised that the persisting high demand for beds was, for now, making it impossible to return the Covid-19 ward to its former function.