Medical

The directorate provides comprehensive and specialist services across the complete range of medical specialist areas.

General medicine

The major commitment is to acute emergency admissions for people in the North and West Belfast, and the greater Belfast and adjoining areas as an integral part and resource of last resort in the take-in hospital arrangements.

Outpatient and specialist services include lipid, chest, immunology, gastroenterology and liver clinics. A full range of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy is provided in the day procedures unit, which offers open access for GPs in the greater Belfast area.
Day care services, which have seen an increase in demand for endoscopic services, are provided largely from the day procedures unit.

Endocrinology

The regional endocrinology and diabetes centre provides an integrated inpatient/outpatient service for people with diabetes and for other endocrinological disorders, eg; thyroid, pituitary, adrenal, ovarian and complicated hypertension problems.

Genito urinary medicine

This specialty provides comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and control of sexually transmitted diseases in Northern Ireland. Counselling services are provided for patients with sexually transmitted diseases including HIV infection. An additional health adviser has improved the care for people with AIDS. The department also provides family planning training for both doctors and nurses.

Dermatology

Comprehensive outpatient services are provided, as are day care procedures and Psoralen Ultra Violet A (PUVA).

Rheumatology

Services are predominantly outpatient in nature with a limited, but necessary, need for supporting inpatient facilities. Daily outpatient clinics are provided. Due to the chronic nature of rheumatic disease, an integrated approach with other specialties is provided and there is close co-operation between hospital based and primary care services.

Rehabilitation medicine

Provides a support and consultant service and has particular responsibility for the development of programmes of care for patients following stroke, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. Services are available in association with the directorate of clinical professions.

Psychiatry

Patient referrals originate mainly from general practitioners in the local community with a small number of referrals made by Royal consultants. The service is provided at outpatient clinics.