The Northern Health and Social Care Trust have confirmed that a ‘potential major incident’ at Antrim Area Hospital, declared yesterday (Tuesday 22 February) has been stood down.
A potential major incident, which is usually called by the ED Consultant in charge on safety grounds, puts staff throughout the hospitals and in community services on high alert, causing them to focus on all possible actions to avert an actual major incident being declared.
It remains in place until it is either stood down or is escalated to a full major incident, which would involve the hospital being unable to take any further patients and effectively shutting its doors.
In a statement yesterday, the Trust said, “We’re not in a good place at all and we have never seen pressures just quite as intense as this.”
Providing an update for Antrim Area Hospital, a spokesperson for the NHSCT today said:
“The ‘potential major incident’ declared following particularly severe pressures at the Emergency Department in Antrim Area Hospital was stood down at 5.30pm yesterday evening.
“The ED department still remains under severe pressure and due to the high numbers, patients will be seen in order of clinical priority and non-urgent cases will experience longer waiting times.
“We would appeal to the public only to attend if your condition is urgent or life threatening.
“We apologise for the long waits and ask that you bear with our staff who are facing sustained pressure and are doing all they can to care for our most vulnerable patients.”
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