A 20-hour wait in the emergency department (ED) of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast is not an uncommon occurrence, and it's left many patients feeling horrified and heartbroken. Vanessa Andrews, a 53-year-old partially paralyzed woman who had a stroke in 2024, described the experience as 'inhumane'.
Andrews spent 20 hours in the ED, witnessing older people sitting on hard chairs, waiting to be treated. The average number of patients in EDs across Northern Ireland per day in December was almost 2,600, and the situation is only getting worse. The Belfast Health Trust has apologized for the long waits, but the crisis is far from over.
Andrews, who uses a wheelchair, said the experience left her feeling frustrated and anxious. She described the pain etched on older people's faces and the lack of dignity, with some men and women requiring toileting and feeding support. The staff were overwhelmed by the sheer number of people packed into the waiting room, and the situation only got worse when she was wheeled into a different area.
The Belfast Trust said the demands for a hospital bed are considerably more than the number of beds available, and patients are facing long waits as staff discharge as many medically fit inpatients as possible. The Trust has advised people to consider if they have a genuine emergency before visiting emergency departments, and to use the phone first service on 028 9615 9444 where callers will be assessed by a healthcare professional.
The crisis in ED waiting times is not just a seasonal issue, but a year-round crisis fueled by an older and growing population with increased comorbidities. People are also finding it difficult to see their GP, and there are added problems of people being stationed and treated on corridors, and delayed discharges where a significant number of patients remain in hospital beds who are well enough to go home. Without suitable community care in place, these patients are forced to stay in hospital.
