Craigavon Hospital chaos entirely predictable
December 4th 2025
Patients faced average waits of almost 19 hours at Craigavon Area Hospital's emergency department on Wednesday morning (3rd December), prompting an apology from a senior health official. Emergency department average waiting times show the Royal Victoria and Ulster hospitals experiencing waits of about nine hours.
This was all very predictable, and the Workers Party highlighted some weeks ago that the winter pressure plan from the health minister was a case of too little too late.
The plan lacked any details or methodology on how to implement the headline promises made during the announcement. The public were told that there would be quicker handover processes for ambulance crews from Monday. But as we pointed out at the time this would have necessitated opening more beds, wards, and recruiting more staff. Overcrowded and chaotic emergency departments are a year-round crisis in our health and social care system.
Patients cannot be discharged from hospital because of the lack of home care packages and emergency departments become overwhelmed and chaotic for patients and staff. It is impossible to provide proper and dignified treatment in such an environment.
Patients should not have to be treated in corridors on chairs or in the back of ambulances. Staff should not have to cope with the stress of seeing sick vulnerable people whom they desperately want to deliver dignified and appropriate treatment to, not receiving the service they are entitled to.
Our citizens deserve better than this, our health service staff deserve better than this. People’s lives are being put at risk, and all of this was predictable and avoidable. It is time our Executive Parties got their priorities right and put the health and wellbeing of the people in Northern Ireland ahead of their own vested tribal interests.
Christmas Cost-Of-Living Nightmare for Many Families
The approaching holiday season will bring major heartache for families already struggling to make ends meet. The pressure to provide toys and presents—something every parent wishes to do—is an immense burden on top of daily survival. While Christmas is traditionally a joyful time of filled larders and gifts for the working class, it has become a nightmare. With the cost of living remaining painfully high even purchasing basic food items for a Christmas dinner is now a significant struggle, forcing many to choose between heating their homes and feeding their families.
A Deepening Crisis
Food banks and charities, already facing daily increases in demand, will be overwhelmed as the holidays approach. However, this crisis extends beyond finance. Even in times without the current inflationary burden, the holiday period can be a struggle for those who live alone or suffer from domestic abuse. For some, this can be a time of fear, anxiety, trauma, and pain.
I would caution against the use of predatory financial businesses during this period. Unscrupulous money lenders and credit card companies charging extortionate interest rates are poised to exploit parents desperate to provide a decent Christmas, advertising easy access to credit that leads to long-term debt.
We Need Systemic Change
The Workers Party asserts that every family is entitled to a decent Christmas with a warm home, food on the table, and presents for children. Every woman and girl should be free from violence in the home and on the streets.While is heartening to see the public to contribute food, toys, and necessities to local charities, the current situation is a failure of the capitalist system, which leaves those who produce the wealth unable to reap its benefits.
Under a socialist system, the working class would not have to depend on the charity of others. Until that time comes, the Workers Party will continue the fight for a better life for working people and intensify our campaign for a Bill of Rights that would benefit all our citizens.