The number of people attending the region’s Emergency Department and Local Injury Units are on the up, as cases of flu also rise.
Health officials are also warning of likely further increases to come, as Clare FM’s James Mulhall reports.
In an update, the UL Hospitals Group says the number of attendances at the Emergency Department in Dooradoyle grew to 1,343 in the week ending January 6th.
That represents an increase of 3.2% on the week before.
They’ve also revealed that this Christmas was busy in the group’s Local Injury Units, although there was a small fall during that time in the number of people attending the Unit in Ennis.
The UL Hospitals Group has implemented a number of changes under the winter initiative plan, such as expanding an Acute Medical Assessment Unit and increasing access to diagnostics in the evenings.
They believe this is helping, but the Dooradoyle hospital is at capacity, and attendances are expected to grow further as the number cases of flu and respiratory illness are growing.
Members of the public are still being urged to avail of the flu vaccine, and where appropriate to attend Local Injury Units.
In Ennis, that’s open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. daily.
