Over 66,000 patients attended urgent and emergency care services in December 2025
Date published:
New official accredited statistics published today by NISRA statisticians in the Department of Health present information on urgent and emergency care waiting time statistics for Northern Ireland between October and December 2025.
Key findings
- There were 66,737 attendances at urgent and emergency care services in December 2025, an increase of 327 (0.5%) compared with December 2024.
- In December 2025, 41.3% of patients attending Type 1 emergency departments were treated and discharged, or admitted, within four hours.
- A total of 11,325 patients spent over 12 hours in an emergency department during December 2025.
- Antrim Area was the busiest emergency department during December 2025 (7,588) followed by the Ulster Hospital (7,286).
- In December 2025, 13,780 calls were made to Phone First, with 61.5% being referred to an emergency departments.
- In December 2025, almost one in ten (9.8%, 6,407) attendances at EDs had been referred by a GP.
About this publication
This publication presents information on the time spent waiting in emergency care departments in Northern Ireland for both new and unplanned review attendances, and reports on the performance against the ministerial target in Northern Ireland.
Information is also provided on waiting times for key milestones during a patient’s journey while they are being cared for in the emergency care department, including the time to triage (assessment) and time to start of treatment.
Further information
Read the full report: Northern Ireland waiting time statistics: emergency care waiting times October - December 2025