Nursing union chief says hospital staff 'distraught' trying to care for patients

The Director of the Royal College of Nursing in Northern Ireland has described a hospital scene in Belfast as a 'battle zone.'

Rita Devlin visited staff at the Emergency Department at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast on Tuesday evening.

The nursing union chief said she was 'shocked beyond words' as she observed nurses at the coalface.

In a tweet, staff were described as 'distraught,' while trying to care for patients.

A spokesperson for the Belfast Trust said: "Emergency Department services have been under extraordinary pressure for many months and our staff work every day under the most challenging conditions while doing their very best for their patients.

"All of us in Health and Social Care know this situation is far from ideal. We welcome the support from RCN colleagues and other trade unions as we work in partnership to promote safety."

On Tuesday, the South Eastern and Northern Trusts also warned their ED departments were under extreme pressure.

It all comes ahead of a planned strike on Thursday.

The RCN walkout is set to go ahead across England, Wales and Northern Ireland after pay talks broke down on Monday evening.

But there will be some exemptions amid concerns around staff shortages and patient safety.

The RCN said on Tuesday that it had agreed further exemptions to the strike action, including emergency cancer services and "front-door" urgent care assessment and admission units for paediatric-only A&E departments.

"The safety of patients is everybody's top concern," the union's spokesperson said.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.