There had been noticed few problems at the accident and emergency department of the Royal Victoria Hospital. On knowing this, the UUP MLA Basil McCrea has asked Health Minister Edwin Poots to resign if he cannot handle his responsibilities properly.

An assembly was conducted, during which the health minister was also called upon. During the debate, Mr. McCrea after reviewing the status of these A and E services of the Royal Victoria Hospital took this decision. He said Mr. Poots is the only personnel behind the destruction of the NHS. However, Mr. Poots tried his best to protect his position, but McCrea, by saying that he failed rolling the responsibilities of a head, announced his proposal. McCrea also said that if such problems are not solved on time then they can even spread to other hospitals of the area. To avoid this situation across Northern Ireland, it is important to execute his proposal.

According to McCrea, solving the problems at the Royal were more important than making changes at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, Daisy Hill in Newry, the Lagan Valley in Lisburn and the Mater Hospital in Belfast; and therefore the minister must have consider this on priority.

On her surprise visit to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Sue Ramsey of Sinn Fein said: “I saw at first hand the pressure not just the staffs are under. I saw the pressure the patients are under and the patients' families”.

According to Ms Ramsey, due to closure of the A and E department at the City Hospital, all such problems have arose in the premises of Royal. And therefore there is an urgent need of an effective step so that communities could be once again given the same confidence about services of the hospital.