Edwin Poots to make emergency department statement

Edwin Poots is to brief the assembly on hospital emergency departments

Health Minister Edwin Poots will make a statement later about hospital emergency departments.

He will outline the work undertaken by the Belfast Trust, the Department of Health and other agencies to improve standards at acute hospitals.

Mr Poots will also give an update on the progress of a review into A&E care at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.

The review was ordered after a major incident was declared at the RVH's A&E department in January.

At one stage during the incident 42 people were waiting on trolleys, and staff described the situation as "horrendous".

An investigation is also under way into six deaths at the hospital's emergency department in which delays in treating the patients may have been a contributory factor in their deaths.

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) review is due to report in April.