Minister of Health Edwin Poots is being called on to declare what the expected impact a review into emergency care at the Royal Victoria Hospital will have on Derry’s Altnagelvin Hospital.
Derry Sinn Féin MLA Maeve McLaughlin, chairperson of the Health Committee at Stormont, has welcomed the setting up of the investigation into A&E care, which is to be carried out by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA).
The review follows the declaring of a “major incident” in the Belfast hospital’s casualty department last month on what should have been a routine evening.
Ms McLaughlin said: “I assume the minister is now recognising that there is a crisis in emergency care and that he has finally decided to act before the situation gets worse.
“It is welcome news that external experts will be conducting the review into the RVH incident. Crucially, we need to rectify the clear meltdown in Accident & Emergency following the closures of A&E at the Mater and City hospitals.”
She concluded: “I will be now seeking information from the Minister around the terms of reference for the review and its expected impact on other hospitals.”
