The Chief Clinical Director of the UL Hospitals Group says the opening of the MAU at Ennis General on a 24/7 basis is being actively considered.
It comes as a pilot project to reduce pressure on the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick is getting underway today.
The Medical Assessment Unit pathway, which was successfully trialled in Mallow General Hospital last year, allows stable medical patients that meet agreed clinical criteria to be treated in a Model 2 hospital.
A key element is a telephone referral from the treating paramedic to the receiving MAU doctor, which ensures that the right patient is brought to the Medical Assessment Unit.
The pathway is underway at Ennis Hospital from today and it’s hoped it will reduce patient presentations to the Emergency Department at UHL and release ambulances more quickly to respond to other emergency calls.
Those who don’t meet the clinical criteria will continue to be transported to the ED in Dooradoyle for assessment and treatment.
The Medical Assessment Unit in Ennis Hospital only treats patients referred by GPs, ShannonDoc and now NAS paramedics and is open between the hours of 8am and 8pm.
Chief Clinical Director of the UL Hospitals Group, Profesor Brian Lenehan says a 24/7 service is being actively considered.
The MAU at Ennis Hospital recorded a 14% increase in attendences between 2021 and 2022, with 7,500 patients being referred there.
Asked if additional investment will be needed to fully resource the hospital for the new pathway, Professor Lenehan says there a number of key priorities.
If successful, this project could be rolled out further, to ease the pressure on other hospitals.
SIPTU’s Ted Kenny says ambulance-service paramedics have been pushed to the point of burn-out by the crisis and his members are more than happy to try new solutions.
