By 
PEOPLE in Omagh will have the chance to speak out over the ongoing health crisis, as new figures reveal that the number of Tyrone people waiting more than 12 hours in emergency departments has more than doubled.
All three emergency departments covering Tyrone have seen a dramatic increase in the number of people having to wait longer than 12 hours in December 2019.
Stark new figures released by the Department of Health have revealed the true extent of the delays facing unwell patients at South West Acute Hospital, Altnagelvin Hospital and Craigavon Hospital.
Altnagelvin seen the biggest increase in waiting times, while the other two hospitals also witnessed a big increase.
The Patient and Client Council (PCC) which recently launched the multi-agency initiative ‘Make Change Together’ are holding a public event giving people an opportunity to influence the future of these services at a workshop on Monday, February 17, 2020 at the Silverbirch Hotel, Omagh from 1pm until 4pm.
Department of Health, Permanent Secretary Richard Pengelly said, “Patients are experiencing unacceptable waits and staff are being increasingly stretched.
“We need to fundamentally change the way we do things. That’s why we have announced this review.”
In Altnagelvin, 5,290 people attended the emergency department in 2019 and 637 people had to wait over 12 hours to be seen.
This represents an increase of 505 people – almost five times as many patients waiting over 12 hours to be seen compared to 132 people in December 2018.
Only 46.4 per-cent of patients were seen within the four hour target – a drop of 20.8 per-cent from December 2018.
In December 2019, 6,638 people attended Craigavon emergency department with 881 of those people waiting more than 12 hours.
Craigavon also recorded the lowest number of people being seen within the four hour target at only 44.5 per-cent.
At SWAH in Enniskillen, 3,179 people attended the emergency department in December 2019 and the number of people forced to wait over 12 hours doubled from last year, while the number of people being seen within the four hour target dropped by 12.2 per-cent from December 2019 compared to 63.3 per-cent in 2018.
• To register your attendance for the public consultation, please visit www.makechangetogether.co.uk or call 0800 917 0222.
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)