“We Don’t Have An ED Problem, We Have A Capacity Problem” Says ULHG Chief Clinical Director

The Chief Clinical Director of the UL Hospitals Group insists that the region’s main hospital should be treated as a special case.

Professor Brian Lenehan is calling for an elective hospital to be established in the Midwest to deal with chronic overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick.

It follows a damning HIQA report on the facility.

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“It’s not an ED problem we have, it’s a capacity problem”

The words of the UL Hospital Group’s Chief Clinical Director following a damning HIQA report on overcrowding in the ED at University Hospital Limerick.

The health watchdog found that management had failed in ensuring patient safety wasn’t compromised, due to overcrowding.

Professor Brian Lenehan is reassuring that management have put plans in place to mitigate risks and on how they work with community organisations to increase flow at the hospital.

But he insists that without adequate resources, beds and staff, it’s difficult to do anything other than apologise for the current situation within the Emergency Department.

The UL Hospitals Group has already received funding for 98 beds this year, with construction due to begin this summer on a new 96 bed block.

However only 48 of these beds will be new ones, with the remainder replacing older beds.

Professor Brian Lenehan believes that between 205 and 300 beds are needed in total to take pressure of the hospital system in the Midwest and he says that would require the will and support of all stakeholders.

There have been calls in some quarters for Ennis to upgraded to a model three hospital to help alleviate the overcrowding crisis.

Professor Lenehan says, however, that while model 2 hospitals in Ennis and Nenagh are performing well and are very busy, he doesn’t see a role for re-opening an Emergency Department in one of them.

He says what is needed is an elective hospital, either on the Dooradoyle site or at a greenfield site elsewhere.

Professor Lenehan has expressed disappointment that Limerick was omitted from the Sláintecare report, but he says that won’t stop the hospital group from arguing that it’s a special case.

Listen back to the full interview here: