This Chief Clinical Director of the UL Hospitals Group insists they simply don’t have the capacity to deal with the volumes of patients presenting at the ED.
A “major internal incident” was declared at University Hospital Limerick yesterday, due to unprecedented levels of attendance.
All out-patient appointments at UHL have been cancelled today, with only urgent elective surgeries going ahead “over the coming days”.
Unprecedented, persistent levels of attendance have led to a “major internal incident” being declared at the hospital yesterday.
The hospital group says the increased numbers have been driven by a surge in respiratory infections, including Covid-19, flu and RSV.
This morning there were still 119 patients in the Emergency Department, which has the capacity for only 50, while the INMO has reported 97 on trollies today; 61 in the ED and 36 in overflow areas of wards.
A Clare member of the HSE’s Regional Health Forum West believes increased numbers of people were forced to go to the ED, as they were unable to access GP or GP out of hours services over the Christmas period.
Kilkee Fianna Fáil Councillor Cillian Murphy believes there’s a real issue with the vision for healthcare in the region, saying the whole system is overwhelmed.
The Chief Clinical Director of the UL Hospitals Group insists that work is continuing at all levels to alleviate overcrowding at the region’s main hospital.
Professor Brian Lenehan says they simply don’t have enough bed capacity to deal with the volume of patients who need scheduled or unscheduled care.
He admits it’s very difficult to care optimally for patients when the environment isn’t conducive, but is assuring an ED nurse is in place in the waiting room assessing patients at all times.
Professor Lenehan has told Clare FM’s Morning Focus that he believes we haven’t seen the peak of the flu season just yet.
Listen back to the full interview here:
