Surgery surge due to ice

In the two week period up to Saturday, January 2, surgeons in the Western Trust's Trauma and Orthopaedic Department at Altnagelvin Hospital treated 102 patients who required surgery as a result of complex fractures, many of which are the result of slips and trips on ice.

Alongside its planned surgery, the Trauma and Orthopaedic Department normally deals with an average of 23 unplanned/urgent cases per week of people requiring surgery as a result of fractures.

Cathy Glass, Manager of the Trauma and Orthopaedics Service, said: "The team in the Trust's Trauma and Orthopaedic Department is working extremely hard to cope with double the number of patients it normally sees for such urgent cases.

"This unprecedented demand on the service has meant that elective/planned surgery for a number of patients has had to be cancelled. The Trust regrets any inconvenience caused to patients waiting for planned surgery however we would ask the public to understand that this decision has been necessary to free up surgical staff to treat patients requiring emergency surgery for complex injuries.

"The situation is being monitored on a daily basis and patients are being advised whether their planned surgery can be facilitated. Given the unprecedented demand for urgent surgery required the Western Trust began cancellation of elective surgery on 22 December. Up to 2 January a total of 26 patients with planned surgery have had their procedures cancelled. The Trust is committed to rescheduling those who have had their surgery cancelled as soon as possible."

The Western Trust's Trauma and Orthopaedic Department treats patients requiring surgery for complex fracture injuries from across the Western Trust's area and the northern part of the Northern Trust area.