Duffy: Developing crisis in health and social care is concerning 
 

Sinn Féin Councillor, Sandra Duffy, has said the crisis developing across health and social care services is deeply concerning.

  
The party's local health spokesperson said: “Over the weekend Trusts were asking patients with non-life-threatening illnesses to stay away from emergency departments.  

“While the call is understandable due to the pressures Emergency Departments are facing, it’s not clear where patients who need medical attention for serious conditions that are not life threatening can be treated.  

“GP services are still under extreme pressures and there is no out of hours cover in places like Belfast.  

“I am very worried that there may be patients suffering in the isolation of their own homes with medical conditions which need to be attended to.  

“We are in the midst of an ongoing chronic staff shortage and workers are almost off their feet in conditions which are unsustainable. 

“The Minister for Health must do something urgently to alleviate the workforce shortage and investigate all avenues, including prioritising and expanding the workforce appeal, to get health and social care workers in place to alleviate this crisis.” 

Western Health and Social Care have released many urgent appeals for their workforce in recent weeks due to staff shortages. 
Members of the public were urged to attend the Emergency Department of Altnagelvin Hospital for emergency treatment only as the department was 'very busy.' 

At one point, over 85 people were waiting in the hospital's A&E department and 32 people were waiting to be admitted to the hospital. 

Appealing to members of the public to attend for emergency treatment only, a spokesperson for the Western Health and Social Services Trust said 'serious illnesses and life-threatening injuries will be seen first.' 

The spokesperson added: “Please only come to the Emergency Department if you have a medical or mental health emergency. Please find suitable alternative healthcare options available to you, such as your Community Pharmacy or GP Out of Hours.”