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Royal Victoria Hospital: Delays 'contributed to five deaths' Royal Victoria Hospital: Delays 'contributed to five deaths'
(35 minutes later)
As many as five patients died in Northern Ireland's biggest hospital last year partly because they were not treated quickly enough, a senior doctor has said.As many as five patients died in Northern Ireland's biggest hospital last year partly because they were not treated quickly enough, a senior doctor has said.
The patients died at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Dr Tony Stevens said.The patients died at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Dr Tony Stevens said.
Dr Stevens is the medical director of the Belfast Health Trust, which runs the hospital.Dr Stevens is the medical director of the Belfast Health Trust, which runs the hospital.
He said that a shortage of doctors and patient waiting times had been a significant factor in the deaths.He said that a shortage of doctors and patient waiting times had been a significant factor in the deaths.
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show, Dr Stevens said: "Specifically, in terms of a contributory factor from people waiting longer than we would like them to be seen, we believe last year five patients in the Royal."Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show, Dr Stevens said: "Specifically, in terms of a contributory factor from people waiting longer than we would like them to be seen, we believe last year five patients in the Royal."
When asked if that was five patients who had died or who had came to harm, he replied: "Came to harm, and some, I mean, some came to harm, some died."When asked if that was five patients who had died or who had came to harm, he replied: "Came to harm, and some, I mean, some came to harm, some died."
When he was asked how many of those had died, he replied "four or five".When he was asked how many of those had died, he replied "four or five".
"These were very sick patients and they were very complex cases, so those patients may have succumbed or died anyway, this is a contributory factor," he said."These were very sick patients and they were very complex cases, so those patients may have succumbed or died anyway, this is a contributory factor," he said.
"This is something we're not happy about, that their care could have been better and their outcome might have been different, but I need to reassure the public, you cannot assume that five patients came into our hospital and, for want of waiting longer than we would want to, they died.""This is something we're not happy about, that their care could have been better and their outcome might have been different, but I need to reassure the public, you cannot assume that five patients came into our hospital and, for want of waiting longer than we would want to, they died."
'Not enough doctors'
Dr Stevens said there was a shortage of doctors throughout Northern Ireland.Dr Stevens said there was a shortage of doctors throughout Northern Ireland.
"A significant contributory factor for us is that in Northern Ireland, as in the rest of the UK, we're struggling to both train and recruit the high calibre of doctors we require."A significant contributory factor for us is that in Northern Ireland, as in the rest of the UK, we're struggling to both train and recruit the high calibre of doctors we require.
"We have very excellent doctors working in the Belfast Trust, very excellent doctors - but we need more of them.""We have very excellent doctors working in the Belfast Trust, very excellent doctors - but we need more of them."
He added: "All these cases are serious adverse incidents. They are reported up to the Health and Social Care Board, they are all fully investigated and part of our policy is to inform the families, so it is my assumption that all the families are fully aware of this, but I am double checking that."He added: "All these cases are serious adverse incidents. They are reported up to the Health and Social Care Board, they are all fully investigated and part of our policy is to inform the families, so it is my assumption that all the families are fully aware of this, but I am double checking that."
On Monday, Health Minister Edwin Poots briefed the Northern Ireland Assembly on the initial findings of a review set up after a major incident was declared at the Royal over a patient backlog.
The review, by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), found that not enough medics are available at times in the Royal's emergency department to properly treat patients.
Mr Poots said it was "disappointing".
In June 2013, 105 patients who had been treated at the hospital in the previous eight weeks, were recalled after concerns were raised by medical staff about possible cases of misdiagnosis.
At the time, Dr Stevens said there were "no immediate concerns" about the patients' well-being.
In March of 2012, an elderly patient apparently died unnoticed on a trolley in the hospital's A&E.
After that incident, Dr Stevens said the quality of care given by doctors and nurses was not a concern.