Damage caused to ambulance access gates in West Belfast could have had significant implications on patients, it's been warned.
Northern Ireland Ambulance Service have been alerted to a recent 'malicious' incident which left damage to the access gates at the Royal Victoria Hospital this week.
And while the situation was promptly addressed and did not cause harm to patients needing emergency care, NIAS say the outcome could have been different.
A spokesperson told Belfast Live: "NIAS has been advised of a recent event, one night this week, when there was malicious damage caused to the ambulance access gates on the Falls Road and which required attention by their Estates Team.
"The situation was addressed and on this occasion did not cause any delay to the ambulance service accessing the Royal Victoria Emergency Department by their normal route.
"Any such act that could delay an ambulance accessing an Emergency Care facility for what has the potential to be a life threatening illness is not acceptable as it has the potential to impact on a patient’s clinical outcome and NIAS would ask that the persons responsible reflect on the harm they could have caused and to refrain from repeating this act."
