Ambulances diverted from Craigavon Area Hospital because of 'extreme pressures'

Ambulances have been diverted away from Craigavon Area Hospital because of "extreme pressure," according to the Southern Trust.

In a statement, the trust said that only in life threatening situations would ambulances be going to Craigavon Area Hospital.

It urged people to not attend the hospital's emergency department unless they needed immediate help and to not request an ambulance unless in an emergency.

The trust said it was the hospital was at full capacity with long waits in its emergency department, along with high numbers of Covid-19 inpatients.

The Trust also issued an urgent plea for any available staff to come into work to enable the hospital to open up additional beds.

Other health and social care trusts said that they would be supporting Craigavon Area Hospital and the Southern Trust but that this would increase the pressure on its EDs which were already busy.

In a tweet, the Belfast Trust also said that the Children’s Emergency Department at the Royal Victoria Hospital was "extremely busy."

Only last week, Antrim Area Hospital said it was under "extreme pressure" with it experiencing its “worst Friday ever.”

Responding to the news of ambulances diverting away from Craigavon Area Hospital the chair of the BMA Northern Ireland said the situation is "extremely concerning."

"It will not have been a decision that was taken lightly, but will have been necessary to ensure the safety of patients," said Dr Tom Black, who is also a GP based in Londonderry.

"We have not even entered the winter months when traditionally we see our hospitals under tremendous pressure.

“We need to address these issues now. While vaccines are doing the job of keeping many people out of hospital we also need to see masks being worn, contacts limited where possible and for everyone to come forward for boosters and flu jabs," said Dr Black.

"The Executive should also revisit the use of covid passports as a priority. "This is only the start of it. The next few months it will get worse and we will see more hospitals having to take the same action as Craigavon has done tonight.

"Doctors are extremely concerned about what lies ahead and the pressure they are facing is simply unsustainable," said Dr Black.

Sinn Fein's health spokesperson Colm Gildernew has said something must be done about the health and social care crisis: