The Department of Health welcomes the statement today from Northern Ireland's Health and Social Care Trusts on steps being taken to mitigate service pressures.

The statement details pragmatic actions aimed at reducing ambulance handover delays and excessive patient waits in hospital Emergency Departments.

It is clear that the long-term solution to health and social care pressures involves sustained action to enhance the system's capacity. This will include reform and sustained investment in rebuilding services, including ongoing workforce investment.

Given the current and expected pressures on services, Trusts are rightly deploying all feasible measures to prioritise patient safety.