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The Mid-West HSE Community Healthcare Department has decided to cancel all non essential community healthcare services scheduled for Monday due to Hurricane Ophelia.
In a statement issued on Monday morning, the health authority confirmed all non emergency healthcare will not operate on Monday and the majority of its local buildings are closed.
All residential and emergency services will operate as normal and to the best of the authority’s capability in the expected storm force conditions. Staff colleagues at the UL Hospitals’ Group have restricted all services to emergency with ED and Local Injury Units operating. Ambulance services are as normal for emergency work.
The group has cancelled all outpatient appointments, day surgery and elective procedures in University Hospital Limerick, University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Nenagh Hospital, Ennis Hospital, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital and St John’s Hospital on Monday.
Patients are advised not to travel to the hospitals unless absolutely necessary. All patients whose appointments have been cancelled will be contacted to reschedule.
Injury Units will remain open in Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals from 8am to 8pm and in St John’s Hospitals from 8am to 6pm while the Emergency Department in UHL remains open 24/7.
The health authority explained it is essential to restrict services to focus in a crisis on those most in need of essential care and to protect staff by minimising their movement to the least amount.
It is also necessary.reserve capacity to respond to emerging crisis with their colleagues in the local authorities and An Garda Siochana in Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary.
“HSE Crisis Management Team for the HSE in the Mid-West comprising all services was convened yesterday and remains on alert. The advice to the public is to stay indoors, restrict travel to absolute essential and consider anyone around you who might be particularly vulnerable,” said Bernard Gloster, chief officer HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare.
For HSE services in the Mid West follow updates on local media and on Twitter @BernardGloster or @ULHospitals or @HSELive or @colettecowan1
People are advised to heed the warnings of Met Eireann, Clare County Council, An Garda Siochana and the HSE.
Dan Danaher
