Overcrowding at the region’s main hospital has hit one of it’s highest levels so far this year.
75 patients have been left waiting on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick, on the eve of the 2nd anniversary of the opening of the new E.D.
Clare FM’s Fiona McGarry reports:
The latest figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show 75 patients were left waiting for beds at University Hospital Limerick this morning.
48 of those were on trolleys in the emergency department, while a further 27 were being accommodated in overflow areas of wards.
The overall figure is 29 more than the next busiest facility and comes on a day when there’s 467 people are waiting to be admitted at hospitals across the country.
Trolley numbers reached record highs of 80 in April this year at Dooradoyle and 76 in March, and today’s figure is just shy of that.
It comes as tomorrow marks two years since the new ED opened at University Hospital Limerick.
UL Hospitals Response
UL Hospitals Group would like to sincerely apologise to our patients who have had to wait for an extended period in our Emergency Department in the last 48 hours. We would like to reassure patients and their loved ones that we are working to alleviate the situation. We are implementing a number of measures to reduce the numbers waiting in the Emergency Department and we are seeing a steady improvement since lunchtime. We are asking members of the public to attend the Injury Units in Ennis and Nenagh hospitals which are open today from 8am to 8pm. The Injury Unit at St John’s is open from 8am to 6pm. Injury Units treat broken bones, dislocations, sprains strains, wounds, scalds and minor burns. Can members of the public also consider attending their GP or out of hours GP service where their GP can refer them to a Medical Assessment Unit the following day if required. It is important that we keep the Emergency Department for emergencies only. We are also working closely with our community colleagues to support us in maximising the number of discharges safely to home.
