New same-day care options, assessment units and enhanced discharge support are helping to ease Emergency Department pressures at Daisy Hill Hospital.

Following publication of the Department of Health's most recent Emergency Department waiting-time statistics, the Trust highlighted sustained work to improve how patients move through Daisy Hill Hospital and to enhance the overall experience of urgent and unscheduled care.

Ms Burke said: "With sustained demand across health and social care services regionally, our staff continue to provide safe and effective timely emergency care to our patients. Staff strive to ensure patients privacy and dignity is maintained at all time.

"Through our Timely Care approach, we are working hard to improve patients' experience of urgent and unscheduled care, while supporting better flow across hospital and community services.

"We are doing everything we can to reduce pressure on our busy Emergency Department and have implemented a number of initiatives to expand services that help avoid hospital admission and improve patient flow through our system.

"Reducing unnecessary time spent in hospital, where it is safe to do so, remains an important priority for the Trust. We want to ensure patients receive the right care at the right time and are supported to return home, or move to the most appropriate setting, as soon as they no longer require acute hospital care.

"We have a fantastic clinical team at Daisy Hill, supported by essential administrative and support services, all of whom are committed to providing the best possible care for our patients."

The Chief Operating Officer said Daisy Hill performs strongly against Emergency Department quality indicators, including time to be seen by a clinician and response time to time-critical conditions such as sepsis. The hospital also does well in discharging patients with less complex needs.

"This reflects the strong working relationships between hospital teams, NIAS, community services and partner organisations receiving patients in ED and in progressing discharge arrangements as quickly and safely as possible," she said. Over the last 18 months, the Trust has introduced a range of measures to improve patient flow at Daisy Hill, including:

- A Clinical Decision Unit and Short Stay Ward within the Emergency Department for short-term observation, investigation and treatment.

- A Frailty at the Front Door service to rapidly assess and treat older people.

- An Acute Ambulatory Unit delivering same-day treatment to reduce ED attendances and avoid admissions.

- A discharge lounge and a dedicated discharge expeditor to help medically fit patients leave hospital promptly.

- A 19-bed Acute Medical Unit.

- Enhancements to the Day Clinical Centre service.

Mrs Burke also appealed for continued public support to help prioritise those most in need of urgent care.

"We greatly appreciate the tremendous public support for Daisy Hill Hospital and ask our local community for continued help to ensure that everyone receives the care they need, when they need it most.

"It is essential that patients leave hospital, and that families support discharge arrangements, as soon as their loved one is medically fit, where they are able to do so.

"Every occupied bed may be needed by another sick patient waiting in the Emergency Department. In some cases, this may mean accepting an alternative care package or care home placement while a preferred longer-term option becomes available."

She added: "Research shows that prolonged hospital stays can lead to deconditioning, loss of independence and an increased risk of confusion, falls and infection.

"We encourage patients and families to work closely with our rehabilitation teams, who are leading efforts to keep patients mobile and independent during their hospital stay. This helps ensure they can return home as soon as they are medically fit and enjoy the best possible quality of life."

Advice on accessing the right care:

- Call 999 if someone is acutely unwell and only use the Emergency Department for serious symptoms needing hospital care.

- Phone First before travelling to an Emergency Department or Minor Injuries Unit with less urgent symptoms (Monday to Friday, 9am–9pm): 0300 123 3 111.

- Consider whether a pharmacist or your GP can treat your condition. If it cannot wait until your GP surgery reopens, contact Urgent Care (GP) Out of Hours on 028 3839 9201.