Northern Ireland Ambulance service probing eight deaths amid delayed responses

Four, so far, are being treated as Serious Adverse Incidents, while the remaining four are still being considered.

The first five of the eight incidents were identified between December 12 – 22.

A NIAS spokesperson said the incidents involved were where a response was delayed to a patient, in line with the categorisation of the call, and where a death was involved.

A spokesperson said each incident was reviewed, by a NIAS internal Rapid Review Group (RRG), to determine if the incident should be notified as a Serious Adverse Incident (SAI).

“Four of the five incidents have subsequently been notified as SAIs,” they said.

“The fifth incident required further detail and will be reviewed on January 5, when a determination will be made as to whether it should be notified as a SAI.”

Since December 24, a further three incidents have been referred to the RRG for consideration to determine if they should be notified as Serious Adverse Incidents.

“These incidents will be considered on January 5,” the spokesperson added.

The ambulance service has been under severe pressure in recent months, with scores having to wait for many hours outside hospitals before patients can be admitted in a knock-on impact of pressure on health services.In November, a major incident was declared at Antrim Area Hospital, where the chief executive of the Northern Trust had deemed conditions in the emergency department “unsafe”. This has been followed by frequent warnings of similar pressures at several hospitals across Northern Ireland throughout recent months.

Last month it emerged a patient waited four-and-a-half days for treatment at an emergency department in a Northern Ireland hospital.

Hospitals in other parts of the UK have also come under intense pressure.In England, a paramedic told the BBC on Wednesday he and his colleagues have become "demoralised" by the "horrendous" situation staff and patients have experienced this winter.

The Leicestershire paramedic, who was not named by the broadcaster, said his role had become "very disheartening".

And Roy Lilley, a former NHS trust boss and health commentator, said this was the worst winter he had ever seen the health service encounter.