The UL Hospitals Group says they are aiming to increase capacity ‘as quickly as they can’ as scheduled care begins again following the Omicron wave.
Nearly 56,000 people are on outpatient waiting lists at the Group’s facilities in the Midwest, a rise of nearly 20 percent since the onset of the pandemic.
Restrictions at University Maternity Hospital Limerick may also be reduced this week.
University Hospital Limerick’s emergency department saw a 7 percent increase in presentations last year compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The Group says this trend is continuing into 2022.
Outpatient waiting lists have also spiked, with more than 20,000 people in the Midwest now waiting more than a year and a half to see a consultant.
The Group says while this is reflective of the national picture following delays caused by the pandemic, it is continuing to hire additional consultants and clinical specialists to mitigate these delays.
Senior management say they’ve now adopted an ‘advanced clinical prioritisation’ model, seeing patients in order of care needs.
Chief Clinical Director with the UL Hospitals Group, Professor Brian Lenehan, says outpatient appointments have resumed again this week.
Meanwhile, restrictions on maternity care remain in place despite public health measures easing over the weekend.
Access for nominated support partners in University Maternity Hospital Limerick is being limited to one two hour slot per day between 2pm and 8pm.
However, it’s understood these may be reviewed in the next number of days.
CEO of the UL Hospitals Group, Colette Cowan, says they’re preparing a feasability study for a new maternity facility to be put on the grounds of University Hospital Limerick.
The Group says virtual clinics will continue to be utilised going forward, with more than 100,000 of these having taken place since the onset of the pandemic.
