Waits of more than 12 hours in emergency departments rise by 49%

The number of patients waiting more than 12 hours in Northern Ireland's emergency departments increased by 49% between June 2021 and June 2022.

The government's target is for patients to wait no more than 12 hours.

But Department of Health figures showed that in June 2022, 8,192 people waited for more than 12 hours, compared to 5,488 in June 2021.

The total number of people attending EDs fell in June 2022.

Those attending two new urgent care services - Phonefirst and Urgent Care Centres - may partly explain the reduction.

Altnagelvin Area Hospital in Londonderry reported the longest average time from arrival to admission - 19 hours and 52 minutes.

The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children reported the shortest average time at five hours and two minutes.

Dr Paul Kerr, vice president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Northern Ireland, said the situation was extremely challenging.

"To see these figures in the middle of summer makes for grim reading and causes serious apprehension for what is to come as we approach winter," he said.

Meanwhile people have been asked to support timely discharge from hospitals in order to help deal with "severe and ongoing pressures".

The Department of Health said demand on hospital services had escalated over the past few days.

It said all hospitals were working beyond capacity - with many very ill patients waiting for hospital beds.

The health and social care sector has urgently appealed to patients and families to help free up beds.

The department said this could be done in several ways, including ensuring there are arrangements in place to be picked up promptly on the day of discharge once medically fit or by accepting an allocated care home placement.

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has previously said 'urgent action' is required to tackle hospital waiting times on both sides of the Irish border.

A report into the primary healthcare systems of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland found that both jurisdictions are experiencing similar problems.

These include workforce shortages and increasing expenditure, although hospital waiting times were worse in Northern Ireland.

Health Minister Robin Swann has previously said the size of Northern Ireland's hospital waiting lists is "undermining" the principle of a free health service.