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The number of patients waiting more than 12 hours in Northern Ireland's emergency departments has risen by 25% between March 2022 and March 2023.

The government's target for emergency care is that no patient should wait longer than 12 hours.

Thursday's figures from the Department of Health show that in March 2023, 10,243 people waited for more than 12 hours.

In the same month in 2022 that figure was 8,195.

The total number of people going to emergency departments rose to 65,975 in March 2023 - a 4.5% increase on the year before.

More than 12,750 people used PhoneFirst or an urgent care centre without going on to attend an emergency department.

Craigavon Area Hospital in County Armagh reported the longest average time spent in emergency department from arrival to admission of 19 hours and 13 minutes.

The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children reported the shortest time of five hours and 54 minutes.

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