Latest news with #DrClodaghCorrigan
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Patient waited more than 330 hours in emergency department
Conditions in emergency departments (EDs) are "soul destroying", a senior consultant has said after it was revealed that one patient waited more than 330 hours inside a unit. New figures, obtained by BBC News NI, show that in a seven-month period to January this year, one patient waited two weeks at the Ulster Hospital, while another waited 11 days at the Mater in Belfast. Dr Clodagh Corrigan, deputy chair of the British Medical Association in Northern Ireland, said conditions in EDs for staff and patients were "horrific". In a statement, the Department of Health (DoH) acknowledged that waiting times in EDs "fall well below the standard of care that we strive to provide". The DoH target is for 95% of patients to be treated, discharged or admitted within four hours and no patient to wait longer than 12 hours. Dr Corrigan, who is an emergency medicine consultant, has called on the department to spend its money more effectively. A Freedom of Information request from BBC News NI revealed that every health trust in Northern Ireland experienced patient waits of about week or more. The Northern Health Trust said a wait of more than 10 days for a patient in Antrim Area Hospital was because they needed to be isolated in a side room for other people's safety. "If there's space, it's taken up by somebody," said Dr Corrigan. She added that patients who might be vomiting or suffering from diarrhoea were queuing for the one toilet available in a unit. "It's a soul-destroying work environment. You can't give the care you want to give," she said. "You certainly aren't giving the care you're trained to give. It's not the care you'd want your family to receive." There are currently hundreds of people stuck in hospitals across Northern Ireland who are medically fit to be discharged but do not have a care package or an appropriate facility to go to. The BMA said this increases pressure in EDs because people are not moving through the hospital system. The BBC requested data from all five health trusts under Freedom of Information, including that relating to the height of the winter pressures over Christmas and New Year. They reflect the immense pressure healthcare staff were under at the time, with one nursing leader describing conditions as "intolerable". Between 12 December 2024 and 20 January this year, 140 patients had to wait in crowded EDs for more than 100 hours. At Altnagelvin Area Hospital, one person spent a week in its ED. The hospital recorded the highest number of patients waiting the longest times, with 48 people waiting for more than 100 hours. Dr Corrigan said the BMA was calling for greater investment in the health service and multi-year budgets. "The money that exists needs to be used better. There's been an awful lot of investment in a lot of new initiatives... and while we welcome some of those initiatives, we're not seeing the pressures easing from them," she said. "It might be better investing in the services that are already here and shaping them better." In a statement, the Department of Health said Health Minister Mike Nesbitt was "acutely aware of the pressures within emergency departments". "The department also recognises the risk of possible harm to patients who experience long waiting times in ED and is working with trusts to improve patient flow through urgent and emergency care," it added. There were still major waits for patients in EDs this week, with patients at Craigavon Area Hospital waiting an average of 15 hours to be seen on Monday. Patients 'frightened' to go to hospital over lengthy ED waits Elderly patients' five-day wait in 'intolerable' A&E Ambulance patient waits 19 hours outside hospital
BBC News
14 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
NI Health: Patients spending over a week in emergency departments
Conditions in emergency departments (EDs) are "soul destroying", a senior consultant has said after it was revealed that one patient waited more than 330 hours inside a figures, obtained by BBC News NI, show that in a seven-month period to January this year, one patient waited two weeks at the Ulster Hospital, while another waited 11 days at the Mater in Clodagh Corrigan, deputy chair of the British Medical Association in Northern Ireland, said conditions in EDs for staff and patients were "horrific".In a statement, the Department of Health (DoH) acknowledged that waiting times in EDs "fall well below the standard of care that we strive to provide". Hundreds stuck in hospitals across NI The DoH target is for 95% of patients to be treated, discharged or admitted within four hours and no patient to wait longer than 12 Corrigan, who is an emergency medicine consultant, has called on the department to spend its money more effectively.A Freedom of Information request from BBC News NI revealed that every health trust in Northern Ireland experienced patient waits of about week or Northern Health Trust said a wait of more than 10 days for a patient in Antrim Area Hospital was because they needed to be isolated in a side room for other people's safety."If there's space, it's taken up by somebody," said Dr added that patients who might be vomiting or suffering from diarrhoea were queuing for the one toilet available in a unit."It's a soul-destroying work environment. You can't give the care you want to give," she said."You certainly aren't giving the care you're trained to give. It's not the care you'd want your family to receive."There are currently hundreds of people stuck in hospitals across Northern Ireland who are medically fit to be discharged but do not have a care package or an appropriate facility to go BMA said this increases pressure in EDs because people are not moving through the hospital system. The BBC requested data from all five health trusts under Freedom of Information, including that relating to the height of the winter pressures over Christmas and New reflect the immense pressure healthcare staff were under at the time, with one nursing leader describing conditions as "intolerable".Between 12 December 2024 and 20 January this year, 140 patients had to wait in crowded EDs for more than 100 Altnagelvin Area Hospital, one person spent a week in its ED. The hospital recorded the highest number of patients waiting the longest times, with 48 people waiting for more than 100 hours. Dr Corrigan said the BMA was calling for greater investment in the health service and multi-year budgets."The money that exists needs to be used better. There's been an awful lot of investment in a lot of new initiatives... and while we welcome some of those initiatives, we're not seeing the pressures easing from them," she said."It might be better investing in the services that are already here and shaping them better."In a statement, the Department of Health said Health Minister Mike Nesbitt was "acutely aware of the pressures within emergency departments"."The department also recognises the risk of possible harm to patients who experience long waiting times in ED and is working with trusts to improve patient flow through urgent and emergency care," it were still major waits for patients in EDs this week, with patients at Craigavon Area Hospital waiting an average of 15 hours to be seen on Monday.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
People 'will suffer' under new waiting list scheme, doctor warns
People who cannot afford to pay for medical procedures upfront are going to suffer under a new reimbursement scheme, a senior medic has said. The scheme was announced on Tuesday as part of a £215M plan outlined by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt to tackle spiralling hospital waiting lists. From next month, patients waiting longer than two years for an operation will be able to claim back money if they pay for a procedure in the Republic of Ireland. But the deputy chair of the British Medical Association in Northern Ireland, Dr Clodagh Corrigan, said that is going to make current problems worse. "We know there is an enormous gap in health access and in poverty in Northern Ireland," she told BBC's Sunday Politics programme. "If we are now in a position where we are providing a better health service to those who can afford it, we are going to see that disparity become even greater and people who cannot afford to pay for their healthcare up front really suffering." Full details of the plan have yet to be outlined and the full range of eligible procedures covered by the cross-border scheme are not yet known. The Department of Health said patients would require prior approval before accessing the scheme. Other measures include using NI's private healthcare providers to target anyone waiting longer than four years on a hip or knee replacement, colonoscopy, hernia or gallbladder surgery. Nesbitt said initially £10m will be invested in the waiting list reimbursement scheme, which will begin in June 2025. Dr Corrigan also questioned where Nesbitt will find the money that is needed. "We are already in a situation in our health service where we are being propped up by staff good will, by and large," she said. "They money has to be saved from somewhere so what are we going to lose and what services are we going to have to cut? "How much worse is the care that we are providing our patients on a day to day basis going to have to get to fund these savings that the minister is looking for to invest in the waiting lists?" Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister said Northern Ireland is now "lawing in the phase of a two-tier health system". "There has to be some equity in [the health service] if it is going to relieve the pressure elsewhere. "If it is not going to relieve the pressure then we need to look again at other options. "We need to use all levers and that is just the reality of it." Following the announcement, the People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said the reimbursement scheme was "nothing more than stealth privatisation". "The for-profit healthcare sector has the Department over a barrel," he said in a statement. "The more the Minister depends on private healthcare to solve this crisis, the weaker our NHS becomes." Cross-border surgery reimbursement to tackle waiting lists £135m a year to fix waiting lists, say health officials NI hospital consultant waiting lists at all-time high Urgent funds needed to clear waiting lists - report
BBC News
11-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
NI Health: Waiting list reimbursement scheme will see greater disparity, doctor warns
People who cannot afford to pay for medical procedures upfront are going to suffer under a new reimbursement scheme, a senior medic has scheme was announced on Tuesday as part of a £215M plan outlined by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt to tackle spiralling hospital waiting next month, patients waiting longer than two years for an operation will be able to claim back money if they pay for a procedure in the Republic of the deputy chair of the British Medical Association in Northern Ireland, Dr Clodagh Corrigan, said that is going to make current problems worse. "We know there is an enormous gap in health access and in poverty in Northern Ireland," she told BBC's Sunday Politics programme."If we are now in a position where we are providing a better health service to those who can afford it, we are going to see that disparity become even greater and people who cannot afford to pay for their healthcare up front really suffering." Full details of the plan have yet to be outlined and the full range of eligible procedures covered by the cross-border scheme are not yet Department of Health said patients would require prior approval before accessing the measures include using NI's private healthcare providers to target anyone waiting longer than four years on a hip or knee replacement, colonoscopy, hernia or gallbladder surgery. 'What are we going to lose? Nesbitt said initially £10m will be invested in the waiting list reimbursement scheme, which will begin in June Corrigan also questioned where Nesbitt will find the money that is needed."We are already in a situation in our health service where we are being propped up by staff good will, by and large," she said."They money has to be saved from somewhere so what are we going to lose and what services are we going to have to cut?"How much worse is the care that we are providing our patients on a day to day basis going to have to get to fund these savings that the minister is looking for to invest in the waiting lists?" 'Two-tier system' Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister said Northern Ireland is now "lawing in the phase of a two-tier health system"."There has to be some equity in [the health service] if it is going to relieve the pressure elsewhere."If it is not going to relieve the pressure then we need to look again at other options."We need to use all levers and that is just the reality of it." Following the announcement, the People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said the reimbursement scheme was "nothing more than stealth privatisation"."The for-profit healthcare sector has the Department over a barrel," he said in a statement."The more the Minister depends on private healthcare to solve this crisis, the weaker our NHS becomes."
