AQW 52948/22-27


Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast


Tabled Date: 24/09/2026
Answered On Date: 09/10/2026
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail any steps being taken to address staffing levels in Emergency Departments, particularly overnight when fewer doctors are available.


Answer:
Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts have arrangements in place to provide 24-hour medical cover within Emergency Departments (EDs), with staffing models and rotas reviewed to reflect service demand, clinical need and patient safety. This includes access to senior clinical decisionmakers and consultant support during out-of-hours and overnight periods.
HSC Trusts continue to take a range of measures to strengthen the ED staffing and improve the resilience of overnight services. These include ongoing recruitment to consultant, specialty doctor, clinical fellow and other medical posts, alongside measures to improve staff retention, training, supervision and career development.
HSC Trusts are also developing broader multidisciplinary workforce models to complement the medical workforce. These include Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Emergency Nurse Practitioners, Advanced Physiotherapists and other advanced clinical roles, alongside the use of locum medical staff where needed to maintain safe staffing levels.
There has also been targeted recruitment and workforce development at individual HSC Trusts. For example, the Western HSC Trust has recruited three additional consultants at Altnagelvin ED over the last 12 months, while a medical staffing review is underway with a focus on workforce stabilisation. At South West Acute Hospital, approval is being sought for two additional consultant posts, alongside further investment in the medical workforce.
The Northern HSC Trust has introduced rota changes to strengthen out-of-hours resilience, including seven-day specialty doctor cover to midnight at Causeway Hospital and overnight staffing arrangements at Antrim Area Hospital. The Southern HSC Trust is also progressing recruitment and revised rota arrangements across Craigavon Area and Daisy Hill Hospitals.
ED staffing remains subject to ongoing review by individual Trusts. Where rota gaps or short-notice absences arise, Trusts use workforce planning, internal additional hours and locum arrangements where necessary, alongside established escalation and governance processes, to maintain safe service delivery.
My Department will continue to work with HSC Trusts to support the development of a sustainable Emergency Medicine workforce, recognising the importance of appropriate staffing and access to senior clinical decision-making throughout the 24-hour period.