THE PATIENT IMPACT OF A&E CLOSURES
Results
the closest A&E to 80% of the respondents was Antrim Area
Hospital. The mean reported driving time to their current
nearest A&E service was 43 minutes. Furthermore, 74% of
respondents reported having used at least one of the following
hospital services (outside of the Midulster Hospital) within
the previous 12 months: A&E, inpatient stay, outpatient clinic
or specialist scan.
Responses 1: 82% of respondents rated access to health
services as “worse” following Midulster Closures; 17%
rated “same”; and 0% rated “better” (1% did not answer
this question). A majority of respondents reported “further
distance” (86%) and/or “long waiting times” (80%) as the
main difficulties introduced by hospital closures. Only 12%
reported improved services after the centralisation of acute
services.
Responses 2: We asked patients to rate on a ten-point scale
how unwell they would need to feel in order to attend A&E
(with 1 as least severe and 10 as life-threatening). In the
same questionnaire, we asked for two ratings – one for prior
to the closure of Midulster A&E, and one post-closure. We
refer to each rating as the Patient Sick Score. We found a
significant difference between the pre- and post- closure
ratings (p<0.0001) (Figure 1).
"Every second counts in a life saving scenario, yet again the human cost of removing health services in Mid Ulster is clear to be seen and action must be taken"
Hugh McCloy - Save The Mid