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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
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| Royal Victoria Hospital: Major incident at Belfast A&E | Royal Victoria Hospital: Major incident at Belfast A&E |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A major incident was declared at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital on Wednesday due to a large backlog of patients at the A&E department. | A major incident was declared at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital on Wednesday due to a large backlog of patients at the A&E department. |
| The hospital said additional staff had to be called in and extra beds opened to relieve pressure on the unit. | The hospital said additional staff had to be called in and extra beds opened to relieve pressure on the unit. |
| At one stage, 42 people were waiting on trolleys and staff described the situation as "horrendous". | At one stage, 42 people were waiting on trolleys and staff described the situation as "horrendous". |
| The Belfast Trust said the situation was brought under control just before midnight. | The Belfast Trust said the situation was brought under control just before midnight. |
| At about 20:00 GMT, trolleys from the emergency department were backed up into the x-ray area. | At about 20:00 GMT, trolleys from the emergency department were backed up into the x-ray area. |
| As a result, some A&E patients were placed in the recovery area and fracture clinic. The day procedure unit was also re-opened. | As a result, some A&E patients were placed in the recovery area and fracture clinic. The day procedure unit was also re-opened. |
| Joe McCusker, from health union Unison, said the situation "had been on the cards". | Joe McCusker, from health union Unison, said the situation "had been on the cards". |
| "My understanding is that a lot of the outliers and people on trolleys had been diverted from Antrim A&E, Craigavon A&E and Lagan Valley. | "My understanding is that a lot of the outliers and people on trolleys had been diverted from Antrim A&E, Craigavon A&E and Lagan Valley. |
| 'Seven hours of sheer hell' | |
| "We have a crisis in our A&E services. It's not just a Belfast Trust issue, it's a Northern Ireland wide issue." | "We have a crisis in our A&E services. It's not just a Belfast Trust issue, it's a Northern Ireland wide issue." |
| Mr McCusker said the problems in Belfast A&Es had been highlighted in a report by the College of Emergency Medicine last November. | Mr McCusker said the problems in Belfast A&Es had been highlighted in a report by the College of Emergency Medicine last November. |
| "My concern is what is being done about this by the health minister and Health and Social Care Board," he said. | "My concern is what is being done about this by the health minister and Health and Social Care Board," he said. |
| Staff at the hospital told the BBC that if a major trauma had been brought into the hospital on Wednesday night, there was neither space nor staff to cope with it. | Staff at the hospital told the BBC that if a major trauma had been brought into the hospital on Wednesday night, there was neither space nor staff to cope with it. |
| Eamonn Hughes was at the hospital as his brother, Patrick, needed emergency treatment. | Eamonn Hughes was at the hospital as his brother, Patrick, needed emergency treatment. |
| He described the scene as "seven hours of sheer hell". | He described the scene as "seven hours of sheer hell". |
| "It was like something you would see in third world countries," he said. | "It was like something you would see in third world countries," he said. |
| Ambulances diverted | Ambulances diverted |
| "The staff were overworked. There were hundreds of people who were not being attended to. | "The staff were overworked. There were hundreds of people who were not being attended to. |
| "This is a normal Wednesday night. There are no major disasters thankfully or car crashes, so I dread to think what would happen if something abnormal happened." | "This is a normal Wednesday night. There are no major disasters thankfully or car crashes, so I dread to think what would happen if something abnormal happened." |
| Ambulances were diverted to the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald for several hours during the evening. | Ambulances were diverted to the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald for several hours during the evening. |
| The hospital said some patients were transferred to other sites. | The hospital said some patients were transferred to other sites. |
| Janice Smyth from the Royal College of Nursing said the situation on Wednesday night was "quite horrendous" and "totally unacceptable". | Janice Smyth from the Royal College of Nursing said the situation on Wednesday night was "quite horrendous" and "totally unacceptable". |
| "The pressure on that department has been building for the last few weeks," she told BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show. | "The pressure on that department has been building for the last few weeks," she told BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show. |
| "We are really concerned that the situation was allowed to develop to the point that we had to implement a major incident plan to deal with it. | "We are really concerned that the situation was allowed to develop to the point that we had to implement a major incident plan to deal with it. |
| "Nurses are really concerned that patients are not getting the care they need and they're certainly not getting it in a dignified manner." | "Nurses are really concerned that patients are not getting the care they need and they're certainly not getting it in a dignified manner." |
| She said many staff members did not leave the department until 03:00 GMT on Thursday. | She said many staff members did not leave the department until 03:00 GMT on Thursday. |
| Colm Donaghy, the chief executive of the Belfast Health Trust, paid tribute to the staff. | Colm Donaghy, the chief executive of the Belfast Health Trust, paid tribute to the staff. |
| He added: "Whenever we are under that level of pressure it can seem that we're not coping, but, in fact, we did cope". | He added: "Whenever we are under that level of pressure it can seem that we're not coping, but, in fact, we did cope". |
| "Normally when we have hundreds of people attending our A&E, we would expect to admit something like 27-28% of those people," he said. | "Normally when we have hundreds of people attending our A&E, we would expect to admit something like 27-28% of those people," he said. |
| "In the last couple of days we have been admitting over 40% of the people who have been attending." | "In the last couple of days we have been admitting over 40% of the people who have been attending." |
| He said that there had been 10% rise in the numbers of people with fractures compared to last year, and there were also more people with respiratory conditions attending the hospital. | He said that there had been 10% rise in the numbers of people with fractures compared to last year, and there were also more people with respiratory conditions attending the hospital. |
| "Major incident planning is a part of our ongoing planning," he said. "It was unusual, but not unique, to declare a major incident. | "Major incident planning is a part of our ongoing planning," he said. "It was unusual, but not unique, to declare a major incident. |
| "The circumstances differ at different times. Last night, I felt we had so many very ill and very sick patients that the way to deal with that was to ensure that we mobilised all of our resources." | "The circumstances differ at different times. Last night, I felt we had so many very ill and very sick patients that the way to deal with that was to ensure that we mobilised all of our resources." |
| He said at least 10 very senior medical staff were brought into cope with the situation, and more than 24 nurses. | He said at least 10 very senior medical staff were brought into cope with the situation, and more than 24 nurses. |
| 'Goodwill of staff' | 'Goodwill of staff' |
| Mr Donaghy said that had a major accident or similar incident happened on Thursday night, the trust would have been able to handle it. | Mr Donaghy said that had a major accident or similar incident happened on Thursday night, the trust would have been able to handle it. |
| Alison Millar, from the Nipsa union, said: "The trust is relying on the goodwill of staff who are stressed, overworked and are working under extreme pressure. | Alison Millar, from the Nipsa union, said: "The trust is relying on the goodwill of staff who are stressed, overworked and are working under extreme pressure. |
| "Staff's goodwill is being taken for granted. The trust and the (health) minister need to take corporate responsibility for the provision of A&E services both in the Belfast Trust and across Northern Ireland." | "Staff's goodwill is being taken for granted. The trust and the (health) minister need to take corporate responsibility for the provision of A&E services both in the Belfast Trust and across Northern Ireland." |
| BBC Northern Ireland health correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly said: "Clearly what happened in the Royal Victoria Hospital last night proves that the current A&E policy is not working. | BBC Northern Ireland health correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly said: "Clearly what happened in the Royal Victoria Hospital last night proves that the current A&E policy is not working. |
| "Considering a major incident was declared, this time it cannot be dismissed as media speculation." | "Considering a major incident was declared, this time it cannot be dismissed as media speculation." |
| On Monday, the BBC reported that the A&E at the Royal had struggled at the weekend to cope with its intake. | On Monday, the BBC reported that the A&E at the Royal had struggled at the weekend to cope with its intake. |
| The health board said the weekend had passed without major difficulty. | The health board said the weekend had passed without major difficulty. |
| In November 2011, Belfast City Hospital's Accident and Emergency Unit closed its doors and the Royal became the main hub of emergency care in Belfast. | In November 2011, Belfast City Hospital's Accident and Emergency Unit closed its doors and the Royal became the main hub of emergency care in Belfast. |