An urgent appeal for registered nurses and health care assistants has been issued by the South Eastern Trust.
Staff are needed in Emergency Departments in the Ulster Hospital and Lagan Valley Hospital today, tonight and tomorrow.
Medical wards in both hospitals also require assistance as pressures grow on the Trust.
Through a social media post, they said: "If staff can assist in any way, please contact your ward/department, or contact the Assistant Director or Clinical Manager on-call via the Trust switchboard.
"Bank staff should book shifts through EOL in the normal way
"Thank you once again for your continued support."
Earlier in the afternoon, the Trust has issued a message on social media saying the Ulster Hospital Emergency Department was "under extreme pressure" with 114 in the department, 60 awaiting admission.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Robin Swann has welcomed an easing of care home visiting restrictions and the expansion of the Care Partner scheme to include hospitals and hospices.
Following advice from the Public Health Agency, Minister Swann has agreed that restrictions on visiting in care homes will move from ‘Gradual Easing’ to ‘Further Easing’.
Minister Swann, said: “This is a positive step forward and something that I know people have been wanting to see for some time. It is down to the effectiveness of our Covid-19 vaccination programme and the reduced threat from the Omicron variant that we have been able to progress to the next step of the pathway.
“However it’s important that we remain mindful of the risk that Covid presents and that visitors should continue to follow the public health advice. We would ask visitors to continue to wear face coverings, maintain good hand hygiene and take lateral flow tests regularly.”
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