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Patient increase at Ulster Hospital when City A&E closes | Patient increase at Ulster Hospital when City A&E closes |
(1 day later) | |
The Ulster Hospital is expecting 10,000 extra people, of which 2,000 will be admitted, when the A&E department at Belfast City Hospital closes. | |
The City's accident and emergency department will close on a temporary basis on 1 November. | |
A number of measures are in place to cope with increased patient numbers at the Ulster over the coming months. | A number of measures are in place to cope with increased patient numbers at the Ulster over the coming months. |
The hospital already has the busiest A&E in Belfast with 75,000 patients a year. | The hospital already has the busiest A&E in Belfast with 75,000 patients a year. |
There will be more staff in the Ulster's A&E, but elective surgery at the hospital will be restricted for a period. | There will be more staff in the Ulster's A&E, but elective surgery at the hospital will be restricted for a period. |
Other measures include opening two wards and more day procedures where patients are not admitted to hospital. | Other measures include opening two wards and more day procedures where patients are not admitted to hospital. |
The south-eastern trust has also asked that only one person is to accompany A&E patients, to ensure the waiting area in the emergency department does not become overcrowded. | The south-eastern trust has also asked that only one person is to accompany A&E patients, to ensure the waiting area in the emergency department does not become overcrowded. |
'Increased demand' | 'Increased demand' |
The director of hospital services Seamus McGoran said November would be a challenging month. | The director of hospital services Seamus McGoran said November would be a challenging month. |
"Not all of the additional capacity will be in place from 1 November," he said. | "Not all of the additional capacity will be in place from 1 November," he said. |
"However, we do have contingency plans and these will help address the increased demand on services. I would ask the public to bear with us." | "However, we do have contingency plans and these will help address the increased demand on services. I would ask the public to bear with us." |
The clinical director of emergency care reform Sean McGovern said patients should make use of the GP out-of-hours service, and the minor injuries units at Bangor and Ards hospitals. | The clinical director of emergency care reform Sean McGovern said patients should make use of the GP out-of-hours service, and the minor injuries units at Bangor and Ards hospitals. |
"When the system is under pressure, it is even more important that patients do the right thing, and make appropriate use of the services on offer," he said. | "When the system is under pressure, it is even more important that patients do the right thing, and make appropriate use of the services on offer," he said. |
The Belfast Health Trust has described the closure as of the City A&E as temporary but health unions say they believe the move is a step towards the permanent withdrawal of the service. | The Belfast Health Trust has described the closure as of the City A&E as temporary but health unions say they believe the move is a step towards the permanent withdrawal of the service. |
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