23 October 2025
Hundreds of patients waiting more than two days in Northern Ireland’s Emergency Departments for an inpatient bed has been described by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine as ‘cruel and undignified’.
It comes as new data reveals in September alone, 540 patients were stranded, often on a trolley or chair in a corridor, for over 58 hours on average, as there was no ward bed available for them to move into.
The data, released today (23 October 2025) by the Department of Health, covers 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025.
It also shows 32,351 people waited 12 hours or more to be admitted, discharged or transferred from major EDs.
That’s the second worst three months on record for extreme waits. And this is over the summer months when there used to be some respite.
The data also shows that the second quarter of 2025/26:
- The average (median) wait for admitted patients to be moved to an available ward bed, who are typically the most sick, was just below 13 hours
- Only one in three (33.7%) patients waited less than four hours – far below the 80% target set by the government and the second-worst quarter on record
These figures come shortly after the Northern Ireland Executive published its Winter Preparedness Plan, which RCEM said was unlikely to ease seasonal pressures.
Dr Michael Perry, RCEM Vice President for Northern Ireland, said: “To see these figures ahead of winter will strike yet more dread in the hearts of Emergency Medicine clinicians as we start to head into the cooler months – when the inevitable winter crisis will hit.
“Patients – mums, dads, sisters, brothers, grandparents, are enduring extremely long waits, sometimes days, often on trolleys in corridors – it’s cruel and undignified.
“It’s a symptom of a system that is in crisis – we can’t move patients into wards because there’s no available beds for them.
“The government’s winter plan showed it understood the issue, but it’s difficult to feel confident that the measures will ease the pressure we will no doubt face.
“Our members and their colleagues will continue to be there for our patients this winter, 24/7, and will continue to deliver the best care possible.”