Tag Archives: University Hospital Limerick

OVERCROWDING at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) is continuing to create records for the wrong reasons after 91 patients were left waiting for a hospital bed on Tuesday. UHL continues to record the highest number of patients on trolleys this week, and the level of overcrowding is considerably worse than most acute hospitals throughout the country. In fact, the Trolley Watch figure of 91 on Tuesday is just one short of 92, the record for the highest number of patients on trolleys for an acute hospital – set in UHL on January 6, 2020. This figure is the highest for any acute hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic, and shows no signs of reducing dramatically in light of the huge surge in hospital admissions in recent weeks. The number of patients on trolleys in UHL went up from 67 on Friday to 90 on Monday, climbed slightly to 91 on Tuesday before a slight reduction to 90 on Wednesday. There were 44 …

Overcrowding continues to cause major difficulties at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) where there were 75 patients on trolleys on Monday following a very busy weekend of admissions. This trolley total was the highest in the country, and was 30 more than Letterkenny University Hospital where 45 patients were waiting to access an in-patient bed. On Sunday, the UL Hospitals’ Group issued a public appeal for patients to consider all alternative care options before presenting to the ED in UHL. The group admitted patients are experiencing long wait times following a week of very high demand for emergency services. In a statement issued to the Clare Champion, the group outlined every effort is being made by management and staff to reduce these wait times and to maximise patient flow. The group regrets that any patient has to wait for extended periods of time. During September 2021, daily attendances at the ED averaged 240 an increase of 22%, compared with 195 in …

Mid-West deputy’s claim coincides with dramatic rise in waiting lists A CONSULTANT working in University Hospital Limerick rang a Dáil deputy to arrange a scan for his patient, it was claimed this week. This coincides with the release of new figures showing that the number of outpatients waiting for public treatment in excess of 18 months in Ennis Hospital has more than trebled. Outpatients on the Ennis Hospital waiting list jumped from 235 in January 2020 to 855 in August 2021, according to figures obtained by The Clare Champion from the National Purchase Treatment Fund. Up to 400 outpatients in Ennis Hospital are waiting between six and 12 months for health services, while another 285 are waiting between 12 and 18 months. The number of inpatients waiting for treatment in the UL Hospitals’ Group has risen 28% up from 4,798 in January 2020 to 6,143 in August 2021. Outpatients in UHL jumped 21% from 35,983 to 43,359, Ennis Hospital recorded …

    VOLUNTEERS are being sought from Clare to help improve services across UL Hospitals’ Group by joining the Patient Council. The Patient Council was established in 2016 and provides an independent voice for patients, service users and their families. It gives patients and members of the public the opportunity to become involved as active partners in UL Hospitals’ Group and advise hospital management on improving patient experience. The council comprises volunteers from the general public as well as members of the hospital management team. It is currently looking to increase the number of public and expressions of interest are sought from people who have had experience of University Hospital Limerick, Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital or University Maternity Hospital Limerick. John Hannafin, Chairman of the Patient Council, said that in the course of its ordinary work and through its engagement on a wide range of hospital committees- including nutrition and hydration, the National Inpatient Experience Survey, End-of-Life …

UHL reports 89 suspected cases of Covid-19, the highest figure of any hospital in the country UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick is coming under considerable pressure dealing with overcrowding, a Covid-19 outbreak in two wards as well as looking after an “extraordinarily” high number of patients with suspected incidence of the virus, it emerged this week. The flaghship hospital was treating 89 suspected cases of Covid-19, compared with 23 in St James’ Hospital, Dublin, five in Sligo and four in University College Hospital, Galway on Tuesday. It also had the highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country with 23, one higher than Cork University Hospital on 22. An analysis of offical Covid-19 figures in public hospitals has revealed 11 hospital had no suspected case, four had one case, six had two cases and four had three cases on Tuesday. This has been a trend for a number of days. HSE statistics show there were 86 suspected Covid-19 cases in UHL …

VISITOR restrictions have been introduced on two wards at University Hospital Limerick following an outbreak of Covid-19. Contact tracing and testing of staff and patients is underway and staff are now, in line with the national guidance, putting into effect all the appropriate infection control measures to mitigate the risk to patients and staff. Visiting on the two affected wards has now been restricted to compassionate grounds only and relatives and loved ones have been informed of same. Visiting on other inpatient wards is unaffected and is facilitated by prior arrangement. University Hospital Limerick is now facilitating scheduled timed visiting slots for in-patients and their visitors, during the hours of 2- to 4pm and 6 to 9pm daily. These slots are coordinated by clinical nurse managers and ward clerks in consultation with patients and their families and loved ones. These scheduled visiting slots are for inpatients only. The Emergency Department, Acute Surgical Assessment Unit, and Acute Medical Assessment Unit at …

Clare patient had to have dialysis on trolley ENNIS kidney patient, Dermot Hayes, who spent 22 hours on a trolley, has claimed regular overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick’s “war zone” is increasing the risk of Covid-19 spreading from asymptomatic patients on trolleys to other patients. His claim comes in a week when a national heath watchdog warned this persistent overcrowding contributes to the difficulty in managing healthcare associated infections, and has been previously highlighted as a problem by the authority through prior monitoring work. Following an unannounced inspection of UHL on October 29, 2020, the Health Information and Equality Authority (HIQA) stated: “Overcrowding in hospitals has been shown to increase the risk of spreading infection and is of particular concern in the context of possible future additional demands posed by the pandemic at the hospital over the coming winter months.” The number of patients on trolleys in UHL increased from 36 on Thursday to 44 on Tuesday, according to figures …

ONLY nine extra Intensive Care beds have been provided nationally by the HSE in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, a local Dáil deputy has claimed. Speaking during Leader’s questions in the Dáil on Wednesday, Deputy Michael McNamara recalled Ireland imported the idea of lockdowns from China. However, the difference is health authorities in China managed to build hospitals in 14 days in response to Covid-19. The East Clare Deputy recalled the HSE’s Capacity Census last year showed ICU capacity increased from 255 to 280 from April to December 2020. “At the end of last year, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced the government was going to increase ICU capacity to 446, of which 321 was supposed to be delivered by the end of this year. “However, to this date this year, the HSE has only provided nine extra ICU beds nationally.” He asked An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin what the government was doing to increase hospital ICU capacity. Deputy Martin recalled …