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| Hospital pressures hit surgery | Hospital pressures hit surgery |
| (38 minutes later) | |
| A Northern Ireland health trust has cancelled all non-urgent elective surgery at two hospitals due to increased pressure on services. | A Northern Ireland health trust has cancelled all non-urgent elective surgery at two hospitals due to increased pressure on services. |
| The Northern Trust said Accident and Emergency departments had been reporting "severe pressure". | The Northern Trust said Accident and Emergency departments had been reporting "severe pressure". |
| It said Antrim and Causeway hospitals had seen increased numbers of people, particularly the elderly, with flu-like symptoms and chest infections. | It said Antrim and Causeway hospitals had seen increased numbers of people, particularly the elderly, with flu-like symptoms and chest infections. |
| The trust said that many of the patients had to be admitted. | The trust said that many of the patients had to be admitted. |
| "The Northern Trust has responded with a number of measures," it said in a statement. | "The Northern Trust has responded with a number of measures," it said in a statement. |
| It's a significant outbreak, probably the highest we've had for 10 years and that has created a problem for us Dr Tony StevensBelfast Health Trust "We are cancelling all non-urgent elective surgical admissions until further notice and opening an additional ward at Antrim to accept increased emergencies." | |
| The trust appealed to people not to turn up at Accident and Emergency with colds and minor ailments "as this will increase pressure on the service". | The trust appealed to people not to turn up at Accident and Emergency with colds and minor ailments "as this will increase pressure on the service". |
| It said people should consult GPs or pharmacists in the first instance or the out-of-hours GP service. | It said people should consult GPs or pharmacists in the first instance or the out-of-hours GP service. |
| "We are also requesting that visitors do not come into hospital if they currently have any illness or infection as this could put vulnerable patients at risk," the trust said. | "We are also requesting that visitors do not come into hospital if they currently have any illness or infection as this could put vulnerable patients at risk," the trust said. |
| In Belfast, the number of patients with flu symptoms has also led to some operations being cancelled. | |
| Belfast Health Trust medical director Dr Tony Stevens said they had planned for such a situation. | |
| "It's a significant outbreak, probably the highest we've had for 10 years and that has created a problem for us," he said. | |
| "In Belfast we are doing maybe 250 to 300 operations a day and we have cancelled, at most, 30% of those." | |
| Last month, Northern Ireland's deputy chief medical officer said there was a higher than expected level of flu cases. | Last month, Northern Ireland's deputy chief medical officer said there was a higher than expected level of flu cases. |
| Dr Elizabeth Mitchell said the number of cases in December 2008 was the "highest since the millennium". | Dr Elizabeth Mitchell said the number of cases in December 2008 was the "highest since the millennium". |