Patients Urged To Consider Alternative Care Before Attending UHL ED

An appeal has been made by University Hospital Limerick for patients to consider alternative care options before attending the Emergency Department. Hospital Management says the Emergency Department is very busy at present managing high attendances of very sick people with a variety of complex illnesses, including COVID-19.
People with less urgent care needs are advised to expect long delays at the ED today, and to first consider Injury Units, GPs, out-of-hours GP services and pharmacists before attending the Emergency Department. Hospital Management are carrying out additional ward rounds to maximise patient discharges and to identify patients for transfer to Model 2 hospitals. The INMO reported 60 patients on trolleys at the hospital this morning.
Those needing care for minor injuries are advised to attend the Injury Units which are open seven days a week in Ennis Hospital and Nenagh Hospital (8am to 8pm) and in St John’s Hospital from 8am to 7pm. For full contacts for the units, and the services available there, please see: https://www2.hse.ie/services/injury-units/
The Minor Injury Unit in Cashel is also an option open Mon – Fri between 8.30am and 5pm. Contact number 062 70400.
Sixty patients are receiving care on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick today, in addition there are 20 other admitted patients accommodated by adding beds to wards in UHL today. A special review team from the Department of Health is trying to solve persistent overcrowding in UHL which some campaigners for improved patient care say can only be addressed by reopening Emergency Departments in Nenagh and or Ennis hospital to alleviate the pressures in Limerick. The difficulties in obtaining appointments with GPs is also a factor in the high numbers attending at Emergency Departments. The trolley figures for UHLimerick are the highest in Ireland today, the next highest is Galway where 42 patients are waiting on trolleys and Cork University Hospital were 33 patients are being cared for on trolleys. 385 admitted patients were waiting for beds today when the INMO compiled the data.