A SHARP rise in the number of patients attending the north's emergency departments has been labelled an escalating crisis that cannot go on.
New figures from the Department of Health show an increase of more than 11 per cent in the number of visitors to accident and emergency wards since 2012, amounting to 81,917 patients.
According to the data, 34,481 of these new unplanned visits occurred within the last year.
This proves the need for an overhaul of emergency care in Northern Ireland, according to SDLP health spokesman Mark H Durkan.
The Foyle MLA called for the implementation of recommendations in a report by experts led by Professor Rafael Bengoa, which outlined a 10 year plan for healthcare reform, including the development of GP services.
"Demand continues to increase, waiting times continue to increase but service provision continues to fall," he said.
"Every day longer we wait for a political resolution at Stormont is another day that hospital waiting lists grow and more people face deteriorating conditions. It cannot go on.
"The care on offer at our hospitals is first class, provided by some of the best healthcare professionals in the world. But the breadth of that service and its ability to cope with increasing demand is leaving thousands growing sicker on waiting lists."
He added: "As talks intensify, all parties should have this crisis at the front of their minds. Stalemate and deadlock won't enhance cancer services, it won't re-establish rural A&E services and it won't address the crisis in GP provision. Parties need to reach a comprehensive deal so that health service professionals can get on with the job of caring for our sick."
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust saw the biggest increase over the five year period to its emergency wards – 26,182 patients. This was greater than the 25,273 increase in patients arriving at wards operated by the Belfast Health Trust.
The Department of Health figures also revealed that health trusts were falling short in getting patients treated and discharged within four hours of being admitted. In the Last year, 68.9 percent of patients were treated within that timeframe, leading to Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs, his party's health spokesman, to call the findings "disgraceful".
"It's a further indication of the scale of the unprecedented crisis our entire health service now finds itself in,” he said.
Meanwhile the Health and Social Care Board said the challenges faced by the health service here were "not unique" to the north.
"We fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience caused to some patients and their families and would reassure the wider public that there is a significant amount of work ongoing right across the entire Health and Social Care system to enhance the quality of urgent and emergency care services,” a spokesperson said.
"The impact of many of these initiatives will take some time to be realised."
