Phone First Triage Cuts Paused in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland's health minister has told health trusts to pause cuts to the Phone First service. The triage line in Belfast had already been scrapped, and the Northern Trust was due to close its line later this month. The instruction means these changes are on hold for now.
Context
Context: Triage means sorting patients by how urgent their need for care is, so the most serious cases are dealt with first. Northern Ireland's health services are run through regional health trusts, which decide how local services are delivered.
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