The Western Trust has invested £2.5 million over the past year to upgrade the Emergency Department at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry, aiming to improve patient flow and enhance facilities for patients, families and staff in response to mounting demand on the service.
The department was originally designed to accommodate 40,000 patients annually but has been reported to handle between 70,000 and 80,000 patients per year, placing significant strain on its infrastructure and operations. The trust acknowledges that the existing facility was not built to sustain these current usage levels.
Completed improvements include a new kitchen for patients, expanded vending services in the main waiting area, a dedicated treatment space with external access for patients requiring isolation or infectious disease care, a new medical gas store, roof upgrades, flooring and decoration work, and a waiting-area water dispenser.
The trust has also previously opened a Minor Injuries Unit in March 2024 and introduced a dedicated children's waiting and play area alongside Northern Ireland's first Sensory Support Room for neurodiverse patients and visitors, demonstrating a broader commitment to service enhancement.
What improvements are currently underway?
Further work is currently in progress to expand the assessment and treatment area and upgrade waiting spaces. The trust is also improving staff rest facilities and enhancing access between clinical areas, with these works expected to be completed in the coming weeks. Planning is additionally under way to further expand the department's resuscitation area.
What are the trust's longer-term plans?
The Western Trust continues to work towards securing a new purpose-built Emergency Department as its longer-term objective. The trust has stated that the ED redevelopment is its "number one capital priority" and is working with the Department of Health to secure approvals and funding for the full scheme. However, the trust remains committed to improving the current facilities in the interim.
What does the trust say about the investment's impact?
Geraldine McKay, director of acute services at the Western Trust, said the organisation recognised the pressures facing the department and the impact they could have on patients, families and staff.
The investment would not resolve every challenge facing the department but was "making a real difference" to the thousands of people who use it each year.
The trust emphasised that pressures within the Emergency Department cannot be addressed through physical expansion alone. Multiple factors influence patient flow, including increasing demand, more complex patient needs, hospital capacity, timely discharges and the availability of community services.
What concerns have been raised about the department?
A public campaign has emerged highlighting ongoing challenges at the facility. A petition launched in late September calls for urgent Altnagelvin ED investment, reversal of planned £26.5 million in Trust cuts, and support for staff. Campaign organisers have cited patients waiting days for treatment and noted that more than £6.5 million in cuts had been approved across the Trust's unscheduled care, cancer, diagnostics and medicine directorate.
What happens next?
Campaign organisers have scheduled a public meeting for 21 October at 7pm in St Columb's Hall to discuss next steps and mobilise further action on the issue.
Key Facts:
- The Western Trust has invested £2.5 million in upgrades to Altnagelvin Emergency Department over the past year
- The department handles 70,000–80,000 patients annually despite being designed for 40,000
- Improvements include a new kitchen, expanded vending, isolation treatment space, and a sensory support room for neurodiverse visitors
- The trust identifies a new purpose-built Emergency Department as its number one capital priority
- A public campaign is calling for increased investment and reversal of planned cuts to trust services
