Nenagh Hospital. Photo: Odhran Ducie
UL Hospitals Group Press Release – Significant Cuts to Scheduled Care at Limerick University Hospital
– UHL increases level of escalation while managing sustained high attendance in emergency department
– Some surgeries at Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s hospitals postponed to 31 May/1 June
– Unassigned services at Croom Orthopedic Hospital and Limerick University Maternity Hospital
– Patients are encouraged to consider alternatives before coming to the emergency room
SIGNIFICANT reductions in scheduled care are in effect across the UL Hospital Group this week as we manage high volumes of patients through our Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).
The hospital has raised its escalation level, which has resulted in the postponement of all but the most urgent optional activities at the UHL this Tuesday and Wednesday, May 31 and June 1. Almost all elective surgeries, outpatient appointments and diagnostic investigations are postponed for these three days, with the decision to be reconsidered this Wednesday, June 1.
Elective and day surgery is also impacted at Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital and St John’s Hospital this Tuesday May 31 and Wednesday June 1. We regret that some patients are having their surgery postponed to these dates and all affected patients are being contacted directly by hospital staff. Patients coming in for endoscopies and outpatient appointments in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s are asked to show up as scheduled. The medical assessment units of these three hospitals will also operate normally.
Services at Limerick University Maternity Hospital and Croom Orthopedic Hospital are unaffected by the disruption and patients from both hospitals are being asked to keep their appointments.
All patients whose appointments are affected by these unfortunate service interruptions will be contacted directly by staff and their appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible. In line with our escalation plan, we are currently prioritizing the care of our sickest patients and sincerely regret the significant reduction in services in our hospitals this week.
The UHL Emergency Department remains open 24/7 for emergency cases and emergency and trauma surgery continues. Injury units in Ennis (8am-8pm), Nenagh (8am-8pm) and St John’s Hospital (8am-7pm) are all operating as normal.
There are a limited number of exceptions to cancellations. UHL nominations currently taking place include:
Cancer Services (Oncology and Hematology Day Unit; Hematology and Oncology Outpatient Clinics; Medical Oncology Clinics; Breast, Lung and Prostate Rapid Access Clinics)
Dialysis
Breast radiology
Heart Failure Clinic (ANP Clinic) and Cardiac Rehabilitation
Rapid access medical unit (DVT, diabetes, epilepsy, anticoagulant, warfarin, respiratory, fibroscan)
Dermatology outpatients (urgent/urgent)
Outpatient infectious diseases
Bronchoscopy outpatients
Cardiological diagnosis
OPAT (outpatient therapy)
Fracture Clinic
Outpatient pediatric clinics
Endoscopy
Vascular Laboratory
We urge people to continue to go to the emergency room for the most serious illnesses and injuries, such as suspected heart attacks and strokes. At this time of high demand for our services, anyone with a less serious injury will experience delays, so we ask that they consider all emergency health care alternatives, if available, including family physicians. , out-of-hours GP services and local pharmacies. .
Our Injury Treatment Units in Nenagh, Ennis and St John’s Hospitals also provide an excellent care pathway for a range of minor injuries, which are described on the HSE website at this link: https://www2.hse.ie/services/injury-units/
Professor Brian Lenehan, Chief Clinical Director, UL Hospitals Group, said: “We apologize to all patients who are currently experiencing long wait times for a bed in our emergency department and in our assessment units. . This is not what we want for our patients, especially the many frail elderly patients with complex medical needs who must be hospitalized. As of 8 a.m. this morning, there were a total of 81 patients admitted waiting for a bed outside of designated bed spaces in our emergency department, medical and surgical assessment units, and our wards. of hospitalization.
“Medical teams are undertaking additional ward rounds to identify patients who are fit to be discharged or transferred to community care facilities or to our Model 2 hospitals, where surge capacity opened today as we manage high volumes of sick patients who need to be admitted to the emergency room. To further increase capacity, we have also made the decision today to reschedule patients scheduled for surgery and for outpatient appointments.
“It is very difficult for patients who have already been waiting a long time for scheduled care as we try to catch up after so much pandemic-related disruption. These patients will be rescheduled as soon as possible; however, the increasing frequency with which these patients are having their care delayed underscores the fundamental mismatch between demand for services and bed capacity in the Mid West region,” Professor Lenehan added.
