Calls For Clarity On Measures To Tackle UHL Overcrowding

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Calls are being made for clarity on the status of a planned 96-bed unit to alleviate overcrowding at the region’s main hospital.

It follows the latest spike in overcrowding at University Hospital in Limerick today, and also the new national patient survey which found over a quarter of patients there have waited over 24 hours for admission from the ED.

Clare FM’s James Mulhall reports:

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University Hospital Limerick is one of the busiest hospitals in the country – a fact underlined by today’s Trolleywatch statistics by the INMO.

As is often the case, the hospital is the busiest in the country with 61 patients awaiting admission, and 48 of those people on trolleys in the ED.

The hospital has 400 inpatient beds and this is recognised as not being sufficient, and management have lobbied for the go-ahead for a new 96-bed unit to increase capacity and ease pressures.

The need for this investment was highlighted yesterday, when the new national patient survey outlined how only one in six patients at the ED in Dooradoyle were admitted within the target time of six hours, with 27% waiting at least one day.

There were also complaints about a lack of privacy and dignity for patients, although the survey was conducted prior to the opening of the new ED in May.

However, with trolley numbers remaining high, Independent Ennis Councillor Ann Norton, who’s a member of the HSE’s Regional Health Forum West, says overcrowding at UHL is a problem that’s not going away.

In September, a 15-bed short stay unit was opened in a refurbished section of the old ED, while funding has been granted by the Department of Health for the design phase of a new 96 bed unit to tackle the problem.

But more funding is needed for substantive works there, according to Independent Sixmilebridge Councillor PJ Ryan who wants clarity to be given on where this unit is at.

In response to the survey, head of the UL Hospitals Group Colette Cowan says they must now show they’ve listened to what patients have said by implementing improvement plans across all sites.