IN PICTURES: Health Minister Robbie Butler makes first visit to Derry’s Altnagelvin Hospital

Health Minister Robbie Butler MLA visited Altnagelvin Hospital recently to see first-hand the challenges facing urgent and emergency care services and the improvements being delivered to support patients and staff.

The Minister was joined by Western Health & Social Care Trust Vice-Chair Brian Telford, Chief Executive Karen Hargan, Director of Unscheduled Care, Medicine and Cancer Services Geraldine McKay and Mark Gillespie, Director of Surgery, Paediatrics and Women’s Services.

During his first visit to Altnagelvin Hospital, the Minister toured the Emergency Department (ED) where he was briefed on a programme of improvement works that have enhanced a number of key areas of the Emergency Department.

Over the past number of years and particularly during the last 12 months, the Western Trust has invested approximately £2.5 million in upgrading and expanding clinical accommodation, enhancing infection prevention measures, improving staff facilities and creating a more comfortable environment for patients and families while work to progress a new ED continue.

The Minister met staff working across the Resuscitation Area, Main Emergency Department and Minor Injuries Unit and heard about the pressures facing services as well as the innovative approaches being taken to ensure patients receive care in the most appropriate setting.

As part of his visit, the Minister also met staff from the Trust's specialist Endometriosis Service. The Minister heard about the important work being undertaken by the team in the recently accredited Endometriosis service. This visit provided a valuable opportunity to highlight the expertise and commitment of our staff and the Trust’s continued ambition to improve clinical outcomes and experiences for women.

The Minister also travelled to the Gransha Hospital site to visit the new Community Nursing Hub Service which integrates Rapid Response and District Nursing as a single, coordinated community nursing service. The Minister heard how bringing these well-established teams together, the Trust is providing a more streamlined and responsive service, helping bridge the gap between acute hospitals and local communities, preventing unnecessary hospital admissions, easing pressure on emergency departments and enhancing overall patient safety.

Health Minister Robbie Butler said: “I was delighted to visit the North West and see firsthand the excellent services being delivered across the Emergency Department, the specialist Endometriosis Service and the Community Nursing Hub. I want to thank the staff in each of these services for their hard work, professionalism and dedication to providing the best possible care for people across the Western Trust area.

“Pressures in Emergency Departments are well known, and it was valuable to see these challenges for myself during the visit. I remain determined to reduce waiting times and improve the experience of patients accessing care.

“It was particularly beneficial to visit the Endometriosis Service and see how additional investment is being used to reduce waiting times for women requiring assessment or treatment, supporting faster access to care and improving outcomes.

“I am also delighted that the Western Trust has secured accreditation as one of Northern Ireland’s two Regional Endometriosis Centres, providing specialist care for women with complex endometriosis. This is a significant achievement and reflects the commitment and expertise of the staff involved. I congratulate the team on this accreditation and thank them for the considerable work undertaken behind the scenes to make this possible.”

Karen Hargan, Western Trust Chief Executive welcomed the Health Minister, she said: “We are delighted to welcome Health Minister Butler to visit a number of facilities at the Altnagelvin Hospital site, as well our Community Nursing Hub service at Gransha.

“The visit highlighted both the challenges facing health and social care services and the significant progress being made through investment, innovation and service redesign. From improvements within our Emergency Department, to the development of specialist services such as Endometriosis and the creation of our new Community Nursing Hub, we are continually working to improve patient experience and outcomes.

“Our staff continue to deliver outstanding care in often challenging circumstances and I was pleased that the Minister had the opportunity to meet many of the teams whose dedication, expertise and compassion make such a difference to patients and families every day.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Minister and the Department of Health as we develop and enhance services across the Western Trust area, ensuring people can access high-quality care in the right place, at the right time and as close to home as possible.”