Emergency Care Waiting Statistics (March 2010)

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today published statistics relating to time spent in Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments within Northern Ireland during the month of March 2010.

This gives details on waiting times for all Accident and Emergency departments in Northern Ireland for March 2010.

Key Points - March 2010.

The key findings presented in the statistics release are listed below:

79.8% of patients were either treated and discharged or admitted within four hours of their arrival in an A&E Department during March 2010, compared to 82.1% in February 2010 and 80.4% in January 2010 (Tables 1 and 4).

1,238 patients waited longer than 12 hours across all of the Trusts in March 2010, compared to 541 in February 2010 and 825 in January 2010 (Tables 1 and 4).

There were a total of 61,038 attendances at A&E Departments for the month of March, 2010 compared to 51,131 in February 2010 and 55,032 in January 2010 (Table 3).

Notes to editors:

1. This information is collected monthly in the form of an Emergency Care (EC1) return. The EC1 return records every New Attendance and every Unplanned Re-Attendance in each A&E Department across Northern Ireland.

2. The figures represent the total time spent in a hospital emergency care facility from arrival until admission, transfer or discharge. All ‘New Attendances’ and all ‘Unplanned Re-Attendances’ at Emergency Care Departments with a departure time, per calendar month are included. They do not include follow-up attendances.

3. Time is measured from when a patient arrives into the Emergency Care site; the time of arrival is recorded at registration or triage whichever is earlier (clock starts). The ‘clock stops’ when the patient departs from the Emergency Care Department. The time of departure is defined as when the patient's clinical care episode is completed within the Emergency Care Department.

4. Figures incorporate all returns and amendments received from HSC Trusts up to 20 April 2010.

5. The Priorities for Action target states that ‘from April 2009, 95% of patients attending an A&E Department should be either treated and discharged home or admitted within four hours of their arrival in the Department, and that no patient should wait longer than 12 hours in A&E’.

6. The information release is published on the Departmental website.

7. Further information on Emergency Care Statistics is available from:

Tel: 028 90 522504

Fax: 028 90 523288

Email:

Internet:

8. Media queries to DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 2841. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.