This statistical brief presents information on the time waited in emergency care departments (EDs) in Northern Ireland, including information on a series of clinical quality indicators detailing the key milestones of a patients time in an ED. Further information on data included in this release is available at the link below:
https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/hs-niwts-ecwt-guidance.pdf
Summary of Key Points
The flowchart below presents a summary of the key milestones in NI EDs during the latest month.
How many Attend ED
Attendances
During September 2019, 71,280 patients attended EDs in Northern Ireland, 5,039 (7.6%) more than September 2018 (66,241). During this period, the RVH (8,468) reported the highest number of attendances at Type 1 EDs, whilst SWA reported the lowest (3,181).
Attendances at Type 1 EDs
Attendances at EDs
The interactive map below presents the number of ED attendances per 1,000-population for each Super Output Area (SOA) in Northern Ireland. Super Output Areas were developed by the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (NISRA) to improve the reporting of small area statistics.
During September 2019, the highest number of attendances at EDs per 1,000-population was in the New Lodge_1 super output area (83), whilst the lowest rate was in Stranmillis_2 super output area (13). Further information is detailed in the interactive map below, where the super output area, number of attendances per 1,000-population and number of referrals to EDs by a GP per 1,000-population are displayed when you hover over each area. It is also possible to zoom in and out of the map.
If you need to reset the view of the map, select to reload map.
The interactive map below presents the standardised ED attendance rate (SAR) per 1,000 population for SOA in Northern Ireland by deprivation level, and is presented in 3 SAR categories:
- Green indicates areas where the standardised ED attendance rate is LOWER than NI as a whole
- Yellow indicates areas where the standardised ED attendance rate is SIMILAR to NI as a whole
- Orange / red indicates areas where the standardised ED attendance rate is HIGHER than NI as a whole
Additional information is detailed for each SOA when you hover over the map, including the deprivation quintile for each Super Output Area and wthether or not it was in Quintile 1 “the Most Deprived 20%” or Quintile 5 “the Least Deprived 20%”. SOAs NOT in the Most or Least Deprived Quintiles are indicated as “-”. Due to small numbers the data presented in the standardised ED attendance map for SOAs in NI below refers to the 2018/19 financial year.
It is also possible to zoom in and out of the map. If you need to reset the view of the map, select to reload map.
The diagram below presents information on attendances at EDs for September 2019 compared with September 2018, for each HSC Trust and Department. To view the number of attendances, hover over each segment. The size of each segment is based on the number of their ED attendances.
If you need to reset the diagram, right-click anywhere on the diagram and select reload.
Attendances for Latest Month & Same Month Last Year, by Department
Admissions
The chart below presents information on the percentage of ED attendances which resulted in an emergency admission to hospital, during each month since April 2014.
During September 2019, 17.5% of the 71,280 attendances at EDs were admitted to hospital. Since April 2014, the percentage of ED attendances admitted to hospital ranged from 16.9% in June 2018 to 23.2% in January 2015.
Across Type 1 EDs, the Ulster (26.0%) reported the highest percentage of attendances at ED being admitted to hospital.
Percentage of ED Attendances Admitted to Hospital from ED
Week Day
The number of attendances at EDs is presented below for each day of the week and hour during September 2019. Overall, Monday was the busiest day of the week, with the highest number of attendances arriving between 11:00 and 12:00am. Saturday was the least busy day of the week.
There were 2,922 daily attendances on average each Monday during September 2019, whilst the lowest average number of daily attendances was on a Saturday (1,929).
Attendances by Hour and Day of Week
GP Referrals
During September 2019, 16.2% of attendances at EDs had been referred by a GP. Across Type 1 EDs, Antrim (23.9%) reported the highest percentage of ED attendances referred by a GP, whilst Altnagelvin (12.5%) reported the lowest.
Since April 2014, the percentage of ED attendances which had been referred by a GP ranged from 13.2% in August 2014 to 19.9% in January 2018.
GP Referrals to EDs
Left Before Treatment
During September 2019, 5.1% of attendances left an ED before their treatment was complete. Across Type 1 EDs, Mater (11.9%) reported the highest percentage of ED attendances leaving before their treatment was complete, whilst RBHSC (2.5%) reported the lowest.
Since April 2014, the percentage of attendances leaving an ED before their treatment was complete ranged from 2.8% in June 2017 to 5.2% in June 2019.
Patients Leaving ED Before Treatment Complete
Waiting Times at ED
Four Hours
During September 2019, 59.6% of patients attending Type 1 EDs in Northern Ireland were treated and discharged or admitted within four hours, 6.4% more than September 2018 (66.0%). During this period, the RBHSC (83.0%) reported the highest performance of any Type 1 ED, whilst RVH reported the lowest 48.5%.
The table below details the number of attendances and performance against the four hour target at Type 1 EDs during September 2019 compared with September 2018.
Performance against Four Hour Target at Type 1 EDs
| Department | Attendances | Change Att. | % within 4 hrs | Change 4 hrs | Target Achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mater | 4,334 | 168 | 57.7 | -12.7 | No |
| RVH | 8,468 | 449 | 48.5 | -11.8 | No |
| RBHSC | 3,393 | 417 | 83.0 | -1.4 | No |
| Antrim | 7,760 | 586 | 64.5 | 0 | No |
| Causeway | 4,257 | 463 | 70.4 | 3.1 | No |
| Ulster | 8,270 | 366 | 59.8 | -4.5 | No |
| Craigavon | 7,107 | 290 | 49.2 | -8.2 | No |
| DaisyHill | 4,844 | 337 | 66.0 | -3.5 | No |
| Altnagelvin | 5,940 | 223 | 53.9 | -19.5 | No |
| SWA | 3,181 | 87 | 63.7 | -0.1 | No |
Since April 2014, the percentage of patients treated and discharged or admitted within four hours ranged from 59.3% in Mar 2018, Feb 2019 to 91.2% in Aug 2008.
Performance against Four Hour Target at Type 1 EDs
The figure below presents a further analysis of waiting times at EDs, by presenting the number of patients waiting in each 20 minute time period from zero to 24 hours. The four hour target is marked on the chart in red.
During September 2019, there is a notable fall in the percentage of patients attending EDs who were discharged / admitted in the 20 minute period immediately before breaching the 4 hour target (4.9%, 3,436) and the 20 minute period immediately after the 4 hour target (3.0%, 2,117).
Time Waited in ED from Arrival to Discharge, by 20 Minute Period
Twelve Hours
During September 2019, 3,465 patients waited over twelve hours in Type 1 EDs in Northern Ireland, 1,754 more than September 2018 (1,711).
In September 2019, the Craigavon (769) ED reported the highest number of patients waiting over 12 hours at any Type 1 ED, whilst the RBHSC reported the lowest (0).
The table below details the number of attendances and performance against the twelve hour target at Type 1 EDs during September 2019 compared with September 2018.
Performance against Twelve Hour Target at Type 1 EDs
| Department | Attendances | Change Att. | Over 12 hrs | Change 12 hrs | Target Achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mater | 4,334 | 168 | 183 | 125 | No |
| RVH | 8,468 | 449 | 485 | 283 | No |
| RBHSC | 3,393 | 417 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
| Antrim | 7,760 | 586 | 348 | -62 | No |
| Causeway | 4,257 | 463 | 151 | -1 | No |
| Ulster | 8,270 | 366 | 757 | 363 | No |
| Craigavon | 7,107 | 290 | 769 | 526 | No |
| DaisyHill | 4,844 | 337 | 227 | 160 | No |
| Altnagelvin | 5,940 | 223 | 458 | 381 | No |
| SWA | 3,181 | 87 | 87 | -21 | No |
Since April 2008, the number of patients waiting over 12 hours ranged from 1 in Sep 2008 to 3,863 in Jan 2018.
Performance against Twelve Hour Target at Type 1 EDs
Time to Triage
The length of time patients waited from the time of their arrival at an ED to their triage by a medical practitioner, includes a brief history, pain assessment and early warning scores, for all patients. Two aspects of the time waited are reported, including:
- the 95th percentile, which is the time below which 95% of patients were triaged each month; and,
- the median waiting time, which is the time below which 50% of patients were triaged.
During September 2019, the median waiting time from arrival to triage was 10 minutes, 2 minutes longer than the time taken in September 2018 (8 minutes), whilst 95 per cent of patients were triaged within 41 minutes, 8 minutes longer than the time taken in September 2018 (33 minutes).
Time from Arrival to Triage
The RVH (15 minutes) reported the longest median waiting time of any Type 1 ED during September 2019, whilst DaisyHill (5 minutes) reported the shortest median waiting time.
During September 2019, RVH (56 minutes) reported the longest time taken to triage 95 per cent of attendances, whilst DaisyHill (15 minutes) reported the shortest time.
Time to Start of Treatment
The length of time patients waited for their treatment to start following triage (initial assessment) by a medical practitioner is presented below. The start of treatment refers to the begining of a definitive treatment by a decision-making clinician. Two aspects of the time waited are reported, including:
- the 95th percentile, which is the time below which 95% of patients commenced treatment each month; and,
- the median waiting time, which is the time below which 50% of patients commenced treatment.
During September 2019, the median waiting time from triage to start of treatment was 51 minutes, 9 minutes longer than the time taken in September 2018 (42 minutes), whilst 95 per cent of patients commenced their treatment within 275 minutes, 56 minutes longer than the time taken in September 2018 (219 minutes).
Time from Triage to Start of Treatment
Do Patients Admitted Wait Longer?
Information detailed below is presented on the total waiting time for patients, (i) admitted to hospital or (ii) discharged home. The time waited refers to the time from arrival in ED until the patient leaves the ED to be discharged home or admitted to hospital.
Patients admitted to hospital continue to wait longer in an ED than those discharged home. During September 2019, the median time patients admitted to hospital spent in an ED was 7 hours 17 minutes, 4 hours 51 minutes longer than the median time waited by patients discharged home (2 hours 26 minutes).
Median Time Spent in an ED for those (i) Admitted and (ii) Discharged Home
Guidance
Technical Notes
Readers should note technical notes and guidance available for the information detailed in this statistical brief. This includes information on the:
- Data collection;
- General guidance on using the data;
- Types and categorisation of EDs;
- Data quality and contextual information;
- Comparisons with UK; and,
- Information on National Statistics publications.
Reader Information
This statistical report presents information on the time waited in emergency care departments (ED) in Northern Ireland. It also includes information on: time to triage, age and time of day of ED attendances, GP referrals, emergency admissions, patients leaving before treatment complete, triage level assessed, time to start of treatment, time waited for patients admitted and not admitted, though this information is not National Statistics, it has been included to provide users with a more comprehensive view of emergency care activity and waits.
Authors
- Sarah Brown;
- Kieran Taggart;
- Michael O’Donnell;
- Siobhan Morgan.
Issued By
Hospital Information Branch
Information & Analysis Directorate
Department of Health
Stormont Estate
Belfast
BT4 3SQ
Contact Information
We invite you to feedback your comments on this publication to Sarah Brown.
Email: sarah.brown@health-ni.gov.uk
Statistical Quality
Information detailed in this release has been provided by HSC Trusts and was validated by Hospital Information Branch (HIB) prior to release. Further information on the data included in this statistical release is available at: technical notes and guidance
Target Audience
DoH, Chief Executives of HSC Board and Trusts in Northern Ireland, Health Care Professionals, Academics, HSC Stakeholders, Media & General Public.
Using Interactive Charts
Options to interact with the charts are available in the top right corner when you hover over each chart / infographic. Each chart will have a number of optional functionality built in, including:
HoverHovering over a chart line or column will display the values for that month. In addition to this, if you select the icon with 2 horizontal lines in the charts pop-up toolbar, and then hover over the chart, it will display the values for each line for each month. To remove the option to view data for all lines, select the single horizontal line on the pop-up too-bar.
Focus on Shorter Period of TimeBy highlighting a specific area of the chart, i.e. April 2014 to September 2015, will change the view of the chart to only present the data for that selected period. To view the entire chart again, simply double click anywhere on the chart.
SnapshotOn the pop-up toolbar, there is a snapshot function to allow users to take a snapshot of the chart or selected months, that can then be used as a static image.
Spike LinesOn the pop-up toolbar, the spike function enables users to hover over a line and it will display a line parallel with both the x and y axis, that shows the x and y axis value at the point on the line you have focused on.